138 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



in Lakeland. 1 It may be so, but I confess that I have never 

 heard it used. 



TREE SPAEROW. 



Passer montanus (L. ). 



The Tree Sparrow is unaccountably scarce in Lakeland. Of 

 this I am quite certain, having searched for it in all parts of 

 Lakeland. Our portion of Lancashire swarms with Sparrows, 

 but not a single Tree Sparrow could be detected among the 

 number examined. Mr. Archibald, Mr. Eawson, Mr. Holds- 

 Avorth have all tried in vain to find this species in Westmorland 

 and Furness, though just as familiar as myself with the habits 

 and appearance of the bird. A pair of Tree Sparrows which 

 Mr. W. Duckworth found nesting near Kirkoswald in 1871, and 

 another couple which I came across near How Mill in 1888, 

 are all the birds which I can vouch for as having nested in the 

 interior of Lakeland. The only local colony that can be con- 

 sidered permanent exists near Allonby, but this merely consists 

 of a few pairs. Stray Tree Sparrows are sometimes caught alive 

 near Carlisle. Three Tree Sparrows were caught among about 

 five hundred House Sparrows at Warwick Bridge in January 

 1890. I have seen several others which had been captured 

 with limed twigs, always in the winter- time. 



CHAFFINCH. 



Fringilla Calebs, L. 



This finch is well known in Lakeland under one or other 

 sobriquet, notably those of Pinkie, Spink, Scoppy, Scobby, Shell- 

 apple Shiltie. Dickinson furnishes a name, as in use in Cumber- 

 land, which I for one never heard, namely, ' Flecky flocker/ — 

 a term apparently suggested by the gregariousness of this bird in 

 winter. Although most abundant among our plantations, feeding 

 eagerly at the Pheasant-coops, yet, even where high stone walls 

 replace the hedgerows of more sheltered districts, the Chaffinch 

 puts in an appearance ; building its nest in one of the ash-trees 

 1 Provincial Names of British Birds, p. 60. 



