A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE seven hundred swallows perished from cold and wet. {Zoologist, 1886, p. 248.) Great flocks frequent our meres in autumn before their migration flight. 55. House- Martin. Chelidon urhica (Linn.). Equally common with the last species but later in arriving. For some unknown cause it is often weeks later in some years than in others in returning to its annually frequented haunts, though abundant in neighbouring districts. Numerous house-martins succumbed to the disastrous weather of May 1886. 56. Sand-Martin. Cotile riparia (Linn.). A simimer visitor, numerous wherever it finds suitable sandbanks. 57. Greenfinch. Ligurinus chloris (Linn.). Locally, Green Linnet. A resident and generally distributed species. In times of hard frost it frequents dwellings in association with starlings, sparrows, robins, and gulls. 58. Hawfinch. Coccothramtes vulgaris, Pallas. Resident and fairly numerous, and becoming more so of late years. 59. Goldfinch. Carduelis elegans, Stephens. A resident and widely distributed species, but less numerous than formerly. 60. Siskin. Carduelis spinus (Linn.). Locally, Aberdevine. A winter visitor in small flocks. There is a record of the siskin having bred near Lancaster in 1836. (Mitchell, Birds of Lancashire, ed. 2, P- 63.) 6i. House Sparrow. Passer domesticus (Linn.). Abundant. 62. Tree Sparrow. Passer montanus (Linn.). A resident occurring sparingly throughout the county. 63. Chaflinch. Fringilla ccelebs, Linn. Locally, Pink-pink, Fleckie. A resident, and very common everywhere. 64. Brambling. Fringilla montifringilla, Linn. An occasional mid-winter visitor. 65. Linnet. Linota cannahina (Linn.). Locally, Brovm Linnet, Gorse-finch. A resident and common species throughout the county in whin-covered moors and especially in gorse fields not far fi-om the sea. 66. Mealy Redpoll. Linota linaria (Linn.). This species was caught occasionally twenty years ago on Mellor Moor, as Mr. R. J. Howard has satisfied himself. (Saunders, in Mitchell's Birds of Lancashire, ed. 2, p. 73 «.) 67. Lesser Redpoll. Linota rufescens (Vieillot). Locally, Grey Bob, Jitty. A resident, common in the lowlands of the northern districts, where it nests freely. 68. Twite. Linota flavirostris (Linn.). Locally, Moor Linnet. A resident species nesting on all heaths and moors both in the uplands and lowlands. 69. Bullfinch. Pyrrhula europcea, Vieillot. An abundant resident. 70. Pine-Grosbeak. Pyrrhula enucleator (Linn.). There exist two records of the occurrence of the pine-grosbeak, one prior to 1837 at Hurlston, and the second in February, 1895, at Rochdale. (Mitchell, Birds of Lancashire, ed. 2, p. 75.) 71. Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra, hinn. The crossbill appears at intervals of a few years in small flocks which frequent the pine plantations. The occurrence of a bird of the year at Morecambe in 1883 suggests its having been bred in the county {Birds of Lancashire, ed. 2, p. 76). In former times this species nested regularly. 72. Corn-bunting. Emberiza miliaria, Linn. A resident and locally abundant species, espe- cially on the lowlands of the Mersey Valley. 73. Yellow Hammer. Emberiza citrinella, Linn. Locally, Goldfinch, Yellow Yoldring, Bessy Blakeling. Abundant everywhere, often frequenting farm- yards and lawns in company with sparrows. 74. Cirl Bunting. Emberixa cirlus, Linn. A very rare visitor. It is recorded to have bred at Formby (Mitchell, Birds of Lancashire, ed. 2, p. 79). 75. Ortolan Bunting. Emberiza hortulana, Linn. A male of this species was killed near Man- chester in November, 1827 {ZoologicalJournal, in. p. 498), and figured by Selby. (Mitchell, Birds of Lancashire, ed. 2, p. 79.) 76. Reed Bunting. Emberiza scha^niclus, Linn. Locally, Blackcap, Reed Sparrow. A common resident, locally distributed. 77. Snow Bunting. Plectrophenax nivalis {hinn.). Locally, Shore Lark, Mountain Bunting. An annual winter visitant to our shores in considerable numbers. 78. Lapland Bunting. Calcarius lapponicus (Linn.). A very rare winter visitant, and only four times observed in Lancashire between the years 1834 and 1882. [94
