A HISTORY OF LEICESTERSHIRE Britain. Mr. Babbington wrote in 1842 (Potter, op. cit. App. 67) : ' Several shot twenty years ago at Swannington by Mr. Grundy, who kept a wounded bird for some time in a cage. It lost all its yellow and red plumage and turned brown, after being fed on hemp-seed.' He further stated that the species had since been killed near Glenfield, and that in Jan., 1841, during a long snow, several were shot at Castle Donington ; also that in the winter of 1843-4 it was very abundant, and great numbers were shot in various parts of the county. It appeared again in the winter of 1854-5. The museum dona- tion-book records one presented on 29 March, 1860, from Barkby Thorpe. Mr. Davenport obtained one at Skeffington in December, 1880. In the winter of 1884 they were unusually numerous in Leicestershire, and I received specimens in February and March from Thornton Reservoir, Saddington, and from a field on the Groby Road where corn was being winnowed. Mr. W. J. Evans shot five (three males and two females) at New Parks on I March, 1886 ; they were consorting with greenfinches and chaffinches. Mr. A. K. Perkins shot one at Laughton on 10 Jan., 1887. Mr. S. H. Pilgrim informs me that Puffer reports one shot in a farm-yard at Aston Flamville and taken to him by Mr. Goude, a veterinary surgeon at Hinck- ley, some years ago. Mr. Ingram wrote on I 5 April, 1891 : ' There are large numbers of brambling feed- ing in the Beech Avenue, about a mile from the Castle ; they are in beautiful plumage. These birds resort to roost to the evergreen shrubs in the woods.' The Rev. G. D. Armitage reported two, shot in the vicinity of Broughton Astley on 24 Jan., 1891, and the late Dr. Macaulay stated that a male specimen had been seen at Gumley on 25 Nov., 1891. Among the museum specimens are one caught near Leicester, presented by Mr. Oakeyon I 5 May, 1900, and two from near Broughton Astley, presented by the Rev. G. D. Armitage, 24 Jan., 1891. Mr. W. J. Horn writes in 1907 : ' Gener.illy to be found where beech trees abound. On 21 Jan., 1894, I saw one at Burbage. In March last a pair was caught in the nursery gardens, Market Harborough, by a bird-catcher. About 1903 a pair shot in this neighbourhood was brought to me for identification.' 58. Linnet. Linota cannabina (Linn.). Locally, Brown-Linnet, Goss (i.e. Gorse)-Linnet. Resident and generally distributed. Harley occa- sionally found a nest on the lateral branch of an elm, some 6 or 8 ft. from the ground. I found a nest on 13 June, 1884, containing five eggs (now in the museum), built in a magnolia on the walls of Belvoir Castle. A nest and four eggs were taken at Nar- borough by Dr. Montague Gunning in or about 1900. Mr. G. Frisby writes on 26 April, 1906 : 'Over 100 still in flock, and singing in an ash tree most beautifully.' 59. Lesser Redpoll. Linota rufescens (Vieillot). Locally, Pea-Linnet, Redcap. Resident, and sparingly distributed. Harley met with its nest and eggs in North Leicestershire, in a rough place known at that time by the name of ' Leake Lings." The nest was fixed in a thick gorse- bush 5 or 6 ft. from the ground ; it was more com- pact than the nest of the common linnet, smaller and more elegantly woven. He also met with its nest at Bardon. Mr. Davenport found a nest with three eggs in May, 1883, at Ashlands, and wrote Dec., 1887 : ' Has built at Ashlands, in July, three years run- ning.' According to the late Mr. R. Widdowson, it often breeds about Melton. In June, 1883, a nest containing three eggs was found at Kibworth, by Mr. Stuart Macaulay, built on the end of a branch of an elm tree. Mr.W. J. Horn writes in 1 907 : ' More frequently seen in winter and early spring ; one or two pairs remain to breed.' He gives the following re- cords: 8 Jan., 1897, one seen at Market Harborough; 19 April, 1905, several feeding in large trees, Market Harborough ; 21 May, 1905, a pair at Lubenham. 60. Twite. Linota flavirostris (Linn.). Locally. Mountain-Linnet. A winter visitant, apparently of rare occurrence, although Harley wrote: 'The Mountain-Linnet appears here at times, at the close of the autumn. The little migrant seems partial to wild tracts in which the thistle prevails. We occasionally meet with it in small flocks, its associates being the brown linnet and goldfinch. We think it does not nestle with us, but merely performs an annual, irregular inland migration.' I have no other note of this bird, save that the bird-stuffers, Elkington and Turner, say they have received a few specimens ; however, I cannot vouch for their accuracy and should consider it a rare bird. I have no report of its breeding in the county. Mr. Pilgrim informs me that one was killed near Hinckley, in the autumn of 1889, by some boys who took it to Puffer. 61. Bullfinch. Pyrrhula europaea, Vieillot. Resident, but unevenly distributed. Harley re- marked that, although the nest of the bullfinch is said by many writers to be built generally in hawthorn hedgerows, thick bushes, and similar places, he had met with it in some of our coniferous shrubs. He also found a nest placed upon a lateral branch of a silver spruce fir in one of the groups of plantations in Charnwood Forest, and several times since 1825 he had met with it in like situations. I have seen its nest in rhododendrons at Belvoir, where this bird is common. Harley appears to have considered that it fed, at times, on the berries of the nightshade (Solatium dulcamara). Mr. Davenport finds its nest and eggs every year, and says that it occasionally lays six eggs. Two clutches of eggs taken from Belvoir are very dis- similar in shape, one being long, pointed, and spotted at the large end only ; the other short, obtuse, and blotched irregularly over the whole surface, but prin- cipally at the larger end. The museum contains two melanic specimens, one of which was caught in a net at Knighton. A nest and five eggs were taken at Narborough by Dr. Montague Gunning circa 1900. Mr. W. J. Horn writes in 1907 : ' I have found the nest in laurels, in ivy on the " elm-tree bole," and dozens in its favourite nesting site a hawthorn hedge. I have never seen more than five in a party.' 62. Crossbill. Loxia curviroslra, Linn. An irregular and uncertain visitant from autumn to early spring, but has bred in the county. Mr. Bab- ington (Potter, op. cit. App. p. 67) said : ' In great flocks in the winter of 1839, splitting the fir-cones at " The Oaks," near Charnwood Heath ; and in some 128
