146 VERTEBRATE FAUNA OF LAKELAND 



— I have shot the White-winged Crossbill.' There can be little 

 doubt that a flock of Two-barred Crossbills had previously- 

 arrived in the neighbourhood of Brampton. At any rate, indi- 

 viduals of this species were observed by others besides Mr. Taylor 

 during the winter which ensued. 



Mr. Taylor observed two more of these Crossbills on the 1 Oth 

 of January [1846], on the 19th of which month a gamekeeper 

 named Proud met with two specimens, one of which he shot, a 

 bright red male. The other which escaped was in female plumage. 

 February passed without event, although a watch was main- 

 tained for additional specimens. On the 25 th of March a 

 gardener named Leslie, lately deceased, observed a flock of these 

 Crossbills fly into some tall larches at Castlesteads. since cut 

 down. He fired into them and dropped nine birds ; five of 

 their companions flew away scathless. These lingered a short 

 time longer in the vicinity, because an MS. note of the late Mr. 

 Proud chronicles the fact that he heard the note of the White- 

 winged Crossbill on the 11th of April. It is hardly necessary 

 perhaps to detail here the subsequent history of all the speci- 

 mens obtained. I have examined the greater number. Curiously 

 enough, only two of the eleven specimens preserved had assumed 

 the red plumage of the adult male. Of these males one is pre- 

 served at Edenhall. The other, a very beautiful bird, is retained 

 by the Proud family. James Cooper received from T. C. Hey- 

 sham two female birds, of which he says, in a letter dated April 

 6th, 1846, 'Of course I examined them when skinned, and 

 they both proved to be females. The one worst mauled was 

 somewhat indistinct, but the other was quite perfect, though the 

 germ was very small, not much larger than herring roe. They 

 had no appearance of having bred lately, nor in my opinion were 

 they likely to breed for some time.' 



Sub-fam. EMBERIZINM. 



CORN BUNTING. 



Emberiza miliaria, L. 



This Bunting was formerly common in many districts, but 

 has of late years shown a tendency to disappear from its 



