A i' mitt: The Birds of Rydal. 241 



Hawfinch. Coccothraustes coccothraustes (L.j. Accord- 

 ing to the account given by the intelligent woodman of the 

 estate, he appears to have found nestlings of this species, six or 

 seven years ago, in the upper Hall gardens. He carried them 

 to a cage in his cottage, and a parent followed them this 

 considerable distance, remaining in a tree over against the 

 verandah in which the cage was hung, for the few days thev 

 lived. In 1901 the fresh occupant of the same cottage saw a 

 pair of Hawfinches constantly about, so in all probability they 

 nested there. 



Chaffinch. Fringilla coelebs L. Permanent resident. 

 Abundant at all times. The occasional winter flocks seen — 

 feeding, for instance (as I discovered them to do), on the minute 

 grubs of the Spangle-gall in a season when these are abundant — 

 may be immigrants from other parts. 



Brambling. Fringilla montifringilla L. Winter visitant. 

 Comes in flocks, sometimes of a great size, when snow is on the 

 ground, and the Beech harvest has been full. 



Goldfinch. Carduelis carduelis (L.). It is reported not 

 only as having nested in the neighbourhood formerly, but to 

 have, within the memory of middle-aged men, resorted in autumn 

 flocks to the lower pastures of Loughrigg. I have never seen it. 



Lesser Redpoll. Cannabina rufescens (Yieill. ). Permanent 

 resident, in the sense that it nests in the district, though possibly 

 not every year in this parish. It is oftenest seen in winter, either 

 singly, keeping up with a party of Bullfinches, or in a small 

 flock, feeding on the Alder or Birch trees. I once met quite an 

 army, passing through the Fir-woods of the high ground between 

 the Esthwaite and Langdale valleys. 



House Sparrow. Passer domesticus (L. ). Permanent 

 resident, and abundant. 



Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra L. Occasional visitant, 

 doubtless. A flock of them remained in the fir woods of the 

 heights round the Esthwaite valley all through the late summer 

 and autumn of 1894. I first saw them on 10th July, 15 to 16 in 

 number, and constantly afterwards ; and was told they remained 

 through the winter after I left. 



Bullfinch. Pyrrhula europsea Vieill. Permanent resident 

 Most frequently seen in winter in small flocks when feeding upon 

 the birch-seeds of the wood. But a brood or two are hatched 

 every summer in some secluded part of the parish. A family of 

 young birds is generally led to this garden in early July, where 



1902 August 1. Q 



