1891.
July 2
(No 3)
England.
Tintern. - have not seen before and which I cannot
identify, evidently a species of Finch or Linnet with
deeply undulating flight and call note very like that of
(Loxia leucoptera uttered incessantly when flying. I have
note as yet seen one perched. Perhaps a stranger song
made up of twitters and low trills which resembles that
of our Goldfinch and which I hear early in the
morning proceeds from this species. Is it the [?]
goldfinch? (Greenfinch; afterwards identified at Wells, July 4)
  There are also a few Hedge Accentors about, singularly
tame, slow moving Sparrows colored above much like
our Swamp Sparrow. I cam on one in the grass
yesterday and watched it for some time standing
within less than ten yards yet it did not seem
to notice me, a rare trait in this country for
British birds as a rule are much shyer and more
alert or suspicious than are our american species.
This "Sparrow" has a feeble sputtering song which
I heard yesterday for the first time, seeing the bird
plainly as it sat on the top of a bush. It (the
song) resembles closely that of a young Song Sparrow
just learning to sing. The Hedge Accentor well
deserves the first half of its name for it is
almost invariably found in or very near hawthorn
hedges. It is a retiring, inconspicuous bird with
many traits which recall our American Sparrows,
especially Lincoln's Finch.
  I have heard no Throats near the Abbey but
they occur both above and below it within a
quarter of a mile or less. Blackbirds are very
numerous and still singing freely.