A HISTORY OF DEVONSHIRE 



62. Pied Flycatcher. Muscicapa atricapilla, 

 Linn. 

 A casual summer visitor more frequently 

 met with in the northern part of Devon than 

 in the south, where it is rarely seen. It is 

 believed to have bred in north Devon, two 

 old birds and four young ones having fre- 

 quented Pottington Marsh near Barnstaple 

 in August 1859. Old birds were seen by 

 the Rev. Murray Mathew haunting some low 

 bushes in the vicinity of a boggy part of 

 Huish Down near Combmartin at the end 

 of July 1858, and they probably bred there. 

 A pair were shot on Lundy Island in May 

 1 86 1. Examples have been obtained at 

 Plymouth, Tavistock and Torquay. There 

 is no record of this species having occurred 

 in the country east of the Teign. Mr. W. 

 Eagle Clarke obtained specimens on the night 

 of the 22-3 September 1901, at the Eddy- 

 stone Lighthouse, when a great migratory 

 movement of birds to the south took place. 



63. Spotted Flycatcher. 

 Linn. 



Muscicapa grtsola, 



Locally, Wall-plat (p^t, a flat beam lying on 

 the top of a wall ; a favourite situation for 

 the nest). 



A summer migrant, generally distributed 

 over the county, and numerous. Arrives 

 about the middle of May, and remains till 

 late in September. In some years it is not 

 seen before the beginning of June. A grey- 

 ish bulF variety was seen by Mr. Gatcombe at 

 Plymouth on 5 August 1884. It showed 

 no trace of the normal dark markings on the 

 head and breast. 



64. Swallow. Hirundo rustica, Linn. 

 Locally, Chimney Swallow, Barn Swallow, 



A summer migrant, usually abundant. 

 Stragglers are sometimes seen as early as the 

 first week in March (one was picked up dead 

 in a garden at Torquay, 22 February 1898) 

 but the second week of April is the usual time 

 of arrival. In the autumn great numbers 

 congregate on the south coast previous to 

 their departure, many not leaving until the 

 end of October, and young birds have been 

 seen in November. White examples fre- 

 quently occur, and a whole brood of buff- 

 coloured birds were hatched at Honiton. 



65. House-Martin. Cheltdon urhica (Linn.) 

 A summer migrant, generally abundant 



about towns, breeding under the eaves of the 

 houses. Some also breed on the cliffs of the 

 south coast. The martin usually arrives to- 

 wards the end of April, though stragglers are 



sometimes seen much earlier. In some years 

 none are noticed till far into May. It dis- 

 appears generally before the last week of 

 October. Young birds are however often 

 seen late in November, or even in December. 

 Immense numbers congregate about houses 

 near the sea on the south coast in September 

 and October. White martins are not un- 

 common. 



66. Sand-Martin. Cottle riparla (Linn.) 

 Locally, Bank-Martin. 



A summer migrant, locally abundant 

 wherever there are suitable sandpits, soft 

 cliffs, or river banks, in which it can excavate 

 its nesting holes. The vast number of sand- 

 martins seen flying over the Exe near Top- 

 sham in the evenings of May 1900 were 

 very remarkable. This is the first of the 

 swallow family to arrive in spring, being 

 often seen in March. Mr. E. A, S. Elliot 

 had a white sand-martin brought to him in 

 August 1900. 



67. Greenfinch. Ligurinus chloris (Linn.) 

 Locally, Green Linnet. 



Resident and generally distributed. Its 

 numbers are largely recruited in autumn, 

 when large flocks arrive and remain through- 

 out the winter, congregating on the borders 

 of fields around wheat-ricks, the dockyards at 

 Devonport, and wherever grain is to be 

 found. 



68. Hawfinch. Coccothraustes vulgaris, Pallas. 

 An occasional visitor to all parts of the 



county, including Lundy Island, principally 

 in the winter months, but is sometimes seen 

 in pairs and in breeding plumage near Exeter. 

 It has bred near Kingsbridge. This fine 

 finch is but little known in Devonshire, and 

 has been mistaken for the pine grosbeak. 



69. Goldfinch. Carduelis elegans, Stephens 

 Locally, Gool Finch, Blossom Bird. 



Resident and formerly numerous, but at 

 present occurs only sparingly in most locali- 

 ties. A few pairs are said to breed in private 

 grounds in the neighbourhood of Exeter. 

 Great numbers perished in the severe winters 

 of 1845-6, 1853-4 and 1 880-1. Single birds 

 are sometimes seen in spring in the vicinity of 

 the south coast, and in October small flocks 

 move along its shores, probably on passage. At 

 this time many were formerly captured by 

 bird-catchers in their nets. 



70. Siskin. Carduelis spinus (Linn.) 



A winter visitor of uncertain appearance. 

 Occurring in small flocks between Michael- 



304 



