BIRDS 



county. In winter the cirl bunting associates 

 with other small birds about farmyards. 

 At that time of the year it wanders about in 

 small flocks, in some years being abundant, 

 and in others scarce in the same locality. 



85. Reed-Bunting. Emberiza schceniclus, Linn. 

 Resident, and not uncommon on the banks 



of rivers, leys and ponds, osier-beds and 

 marshes, where reeds, sedges and rushes grow, 

 throughout the county. It is said to be a 

 winter visitor to Lundy Island. Generally 

 seen in pairs or small parties and seldom in 

 flocks. It is most frequently noticed in the 

 winter months, when it seems more numer- 

 ous and probably migratory accessions arrive 

 at that season. A fawn-coloured variety has 

 been obtained. 



86. Snow-Bunting. Plectrophenax nivalis 



(Linn.) 

 Locally, White Lark. 

 A winter visitor of irregular appearance, 

 but not uncommon, usually singly or in small 

 parties, and sometimes met with as early as 

 September, remaining rarely as late as April 

 and May. It occurs most frequently near 

 the coasts, more especially in the north of the 

 county. It is met with occasionally on 

 Dartmoor and the Haldon Hills. On Lundy 

 Island it is sometimes seen in considerable 

 numbers in winter. 



87. Starling. Sturnus vulgaris, Linn. 

 Locally, Stare or Steer, from its cry. 



An extremely abundant resident through- 

 out the county excepting Dartmoor and its 

 borders, where it is an autumn and winter 

 visitor. Its numbers have greatly increased 

 in Devonshire since about 1844, and it now 

 breeds freely in north Devon and the south- 

 western portion of the county, where less 

 than fifty years ago it was only known as a 

 winter visitor. There are enormous migra- 

 tory accessions in autumn and winter, and 

 vast flocks then assemble to roost in planta- 

 tions where they become an insufferable 

 nuisance owing to the strong effluvium from 

 their droppings. They are also partial to 

 reed-beds as roosting places. A famous 

 locality for such an assemblage in autumn 

 and winter is at Slapton Ley, where the 

 aerial evolutions of the large flocks, before 

 alighting on the reeds, excite great interest. 

 White and cream-coloured specimens occur 

 occasionally, and the late Mr. Gatcombe saw 

 a perfectly black and unspotted individual 

 feeding with a flock of ordinary starlings. 

 In October 1901 Mr. W. Eagle Clarke saw 

 vast numbers of starlings passing the Eddy- 



stone Lighthouse, and many struck against 

 the lantern and were captured. They all 

 belonged to the purple-headed continental 

 variety with green ear-coverts. 



88. Rose-coloured Starling. Pastor roseus 



(Linn.) 

 A casual visitor during the spring and 

 summer months (May to October). Many 

 specimens of this beautiful bird have been 

 obtained in the county, especially in the South 

 Hams and on Lundy Island, where it was 

 formerly a regular spring visitor. A female 

 full of eggs was shot at Berry Head, 1 2 July 

 1851. 



89. Chough. Pyrrhocorax graculus (Linn.) 



Locally, Cornish Chough, Red-legged Crow, 

 Killigrew (obs.) 



Resident in small numbers in some spots on 

 the north coast of the county. It is now 

 unfortunately extinct on Lundy Island, where 

 it was formerly numerous. The peregrine 

 falcons have been the main agents in exter- 

 minating this interesting bird, but doubtless 

 the island being now so much frequented by 

 tourists is no longer a desirable place of resi- 

 dence for it. On the south coast it is now 

 but a casual visitor, though it has been known 

 to breed once or twice within the last thirty 

 years. Probably the jackdaws which have 

 increased so greatly of late years have de- 

 stroyed the eggs and driven the choughs away 

 from their former breeding places on the 

 cliffs. 



90. Nutcracker. Nucifraga caryocatactes 



(Linn.) 

 An accidental visitor of rare occurrence. 

 One was shot in north Devon in August 1808 ; 

 another at Washford Pyne Moor, near 

 Tiverton, by Mr. W. Tucker of Dawlish, 

 in 1829. ^^ example was seen on the banks 

 of Hooe Lake, in the parish of Plymstock, by 

 the late Mr. Thomas Bulteel ; and Mr. J. 

 Brooking Rowe thinks that he saw one in the 

 woods at Saltram in October 1862. A nut- 

 cracker was seen by Mr. M. H. Rotherham 

 on 14 July 1880, in Huntsham Woods 

 near Bideford ; and another was seen two 

 years previously at Instow by Mr. C. F. 

 Hinchliff. A specimen in the possession of 

 Mr. L. Sparrow of Stroode near Ivybridge 

 is believed by that gentleman to have been 

 obtained in the neighbourhood by his father. 



91. Jay. Garrulus glandarius (Linn.) 

 Locally, Jay Pie. 



Persecution has caused the disappearance of 



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