BEAMBLING. 



FRINGILLA M ONTIFRING ILL A, Linn. 



Fringilla montifringilla, Linn. S. N. i. p. 318 (1766) ; Naum. 

 v. p. 44; Macg. i. p. 335; Hewitson, i. p. 191; Yarr. 

 ed. 4, ii. p. 75 ; Dresser, iv. p. 15. 



Pinson d' Ardennes, French; Berg-Finke, German; Mon- 

 tanes, Millero, Spanish. 



The Branibling is an autumnal migrant to the 

 British Islands, and from about the end of October till 

 March is to be met with, occasionally in vast numbers, 

 in most parts of Scotland and England ; in Ireland its 

 visits are said to be very irregular, although large 

 flocks have been occasionally met with in that country. 

 Mr. H. Saunders ('Manual,' p. 177) informs us that a 

 nest of this species was discovered by Mr. E. T. Booth 

 in Perthshire in June 1866, but with this exception I 

 am not aware of any other recorded instance of its 

 breeding in the United Kingdom. My principal ac- 

 quaintance with this beautiful bird has been formed 

 in Northamptonshire amongst the old beeches in our 

 own shrubberies and pleasure-grounds. Beech-mast is 

 certainly the favourite food of the present species, and in 



