428 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
AVES. ; 
Fecundity of the Chaffinch.—In a recent. number of the ‘ Irish 
Naturalist’ a statement was made by Mr. Moffat, on the authority of 
the Rey. Allan Ellison, from which it would appear that the Chaffinch 
is less prolific in Ireland than Hertfordshire. According to Mr. 
Hllison—and we have every reason to believe his statement—clutches 
of six are by no means uncommon in Hertfordshire, and clutches of 
five are quite unusual. It would be interesting to have observations 
of other readers in other parts of Britain relative to the fecundity of 
the Chaffinch, accompanied by a few short notes of its status. In this 
district I should think the average number of eggs is about 4°75. It 
is one of the commonest breeding birds in all our woods, and its 
status may be regarded as almost identical with what it was twenty 
or thirty years ago, or if it has varied at all it is within narrow limits. 
Nearly all the birds met with here in the winter are cock birds, but 
whether immigrants or not it would be difficult to say, but my own 
opinion would be in the affirmative. —H. P. Burrerrienp (Bank 
House, Wilsden). 
Wrynecks in North Lancashire——On Sept. 3rd a Wryneck (lynx 
torquilla) was captured alive in the back yard of a cottage at Higher 
Heysham, on the shores of Morecambe Bay, near Lancaster, which 
died soon after its capture. A second was captured, also alive, at 
Overton, about three miles away, on Oct. 2nd, which, being placed — 
inside a boat-builder’s shed, escaped through a hole in the roof, and 
was not seen again. Howard Saunders, in his ‘ Manual,’ says that © 
Lancashire has seldom been visited by the species of late years. 
Yarrell says that northward it is scarce and rare in Yorkshire, and 
Selby that a few only appear every year in Northumberland. Mitchell, 
inhis first edition of the ‘ Birds of Lancashire,’ says that, ‘‘ once a com- 
mon summer visitor, itisnow almost extinct.” Formerly it was known 
as the “ Long-tongue”’ on Cartmell Fell, and in the twenties used to 
nest on the Frenchwood estate, Preston. In Winmarleigh, not far 
from Preston, as recently as the second week of June, 1883, Mr. 
Arthur Breadell found a nest containing seven fresh eggs, this being, 
I think, the last occurrence of the bird—at least, in North Lancashire 
—presuming that the eggs were authentic—H. W. Ropinson (Lans- 
downe House, Lancaster). 
Honey-Buzzards (Pernis apivorus) in Lincolnshire.—I have lately 
seen three specimens of the Honey-Buzzard, all obtained between 
Sept. 24th and Oct. 5th last. Two were shot near Grantham, and the 
