88 FRINGILLID.E. 



INSESSORES. FRINGILL1DM. 



CONIROSTRES. 



PLATE CVII. 



MOUNTAIN FINCH, OR BRAMBLING. 



Fringilla montifringilla. 



This bird is a native of the northern and mountainous 

 parts of Europe and Asia, and inhabits, in summer, Norway, 

 Sweden, Lapland, Denmark, &c. In these countries it is 

 said to be very numerous, as we may also judge from the 

 vast flocks that migrate southward in winter. Its summer 

 residence appears not to extend usually lower than the middle 

 of Sweden, since Mr. Nilsson says, that it is only seen in 

 the southern parts of that country in winter, and retires 

 again towards the north in April. From these northern 

 regions they begin their retreat as soon as they are warned 

 of the approach of winter, and are usually first seen in 

 our island in the end of October, or beginning of Novem- 

 ber. Their appearance here, however, seems to be very 

 irregular, both as to time and numbers, influenced, doubt- 

 less, by the greater or lesser degree of cold northward, by 

 which they are driven earlier or later from their native re- 

 gions. In the southern parts of Scotland, they are seldom 

 seen in flocks until November : and in England, sometimes 

 whole winters pass without their being met with at all in 

 localities at other times frequented by them. Severe win- 

 ters, however, bring large flocks of them as far as the south- 

 ern parts of England, especially to wooded and hilly districts. 



