240 



Armitt : The Birds of Rydal. 



when I came to it. Mr. H. E. Rawson, of Windermere, who 

 has also kindly helped, is a recognised authority for the whole 

 of the district.] The dates refer to the first and last appearances 

 of migratory birds, and stand not for the parish alone, but for 

 the district. 



Rook. Trypanocorax frugilegus (L.). Permanent resident. 

 Rookery at the Hall ; and a few nests are annually built on Old 

 Hall Hill, where the former seat of the lord of the manor 

 stood. 



Raven. Corvus corax L. Seen frequently ; and nested 

 undoubtedly in 1901. 



Carrion Crow. Corone corone (L.). Permanent resident. 

 Breeds in the deepest woods or wild tracts where trees grow. 

 I have seen several of these birds follow a Buzzard, hampering 

 it ; probably because the Buzzard occasionally takes its nest. 

 One new-made nest of the Crows' I subsequently found occupied 

 by Buzzards. 



Jackdaw. Coloeus monedula (L.). Permanent resident. 

 Frequent ; breeding in old trees and in crags, as well as in 

 chimneys. 



Jay. Garrulus glandarius (L. ). Permanent resident. By 

 no means rare, though kept down. 



Magpie. Pica pica (L.). Permanent resident. Not abun- 

 dant, and oftenest seen by White Moss. 



Common Starling. Sturnus vulgaris L. A permanent 

 resident ; yet wandering flocks do leave the parish in the very 

 worst of winter for flatter and fatter lands. But the return is 

 always made by February, and no breeding species is more 

 numerous, as it nests in the holes of woodland trees — generally 

 taking there an old nest of some other bird — and in roof-spouts, 

 holes of masonry, etc., in almost every house. 



Greenfinch. Ligurinus chloris (L.). Summer visitant. 

 Nests in secluded gardens and shrubberies. Arrives at the latter 

 end of March or early in April. Leaves when the nest season is 

 over, first for adjacent oat-fields, and then, apparently, for more 

 distant ground. The species is seen, however, occasionally in 

 winter, but then only as a single bird or two, in company with 

 Mountain Finches or Chaffinches. It feeds its young on the 

 tender green seed of the Wych Elm, which is already swelled by 

 the middle of May. From its swarming in April over the Gorse 

 bushes, I conclude it eats the young pods of this plant. 



Naturalist, 



1 JUL 1902 



