BIRDS examined in the flesh by the late Lord Lilford, and exhibited after it was mounted at meet- ings of the Linnean and Norfolk Naturalists' Societies. 66. Chaffinch, Fringilla ceelebt, Linn. This charming bird is a resident, but, as previously pointed out, very many come as winter migrants with the bramblings. It is often spoken of simply as the ' finch.' 67. Brambling. Fringilla montiJringilla,Liinn. A winter migrant, sometimes so numerous that the beech woods are literally alive with them. When a flock of small birds feeding on beech-mast is disturbed, the bramblings are easily recognized as they fly up by their white backs. It has no local name, but allusion is often made to ' them little foreign finches.' The brambling sometimes remains till the middle of April, when the cock birds begin to assume the black head and back of the summer plumage, and occasionally a bird is shot with more or less black on the throat. It has never been known to nest in England except in captivity, and is a handsome addition to an aviary. 68. Linnet. Linota cannabina (Linn.) Locally, Grey Linnet, Red Linnet. A common resident, breeding abundantly on furze commons, also in road-side hedges and even in gardens. It breeds at least twice in a year, and sometimes lays perfectly white eggs. 69. Mealy Redpoll. Linota linaria (Linn.) A rather scarce winter migrant, larger and greyer than the lesser redpoll. 70. Lesser Redpoll. Linota ra/^f«w (Vieillot) A resident, though its numbers are in- creased in winter, when it is often to be seen on alders in company with siskins. It builds an exquisite little nest lined with willow- down, and its eggs are easily recognized by their small size and blue ground-colour. 71. Twite. Linota Jlavirostris (Linn.) A winter migrant, sometimes occurring near the coast in large flocks. It is a smaller bird than the linnet, with more yellow on the bill, and no red on the head. 72. Bullfinch. Pyrrhula europtea^ Vieillot. Loealfy, Olf. The cock bullfinch, often called a ' blood- olf ' from his bright red breast, is one of our handsomest small birds. This resident species is often seen in pairs during the winter, and in early spring is rather troublesome in gardens, but a few explosions of powder in an old muzzle-loader will often keep it away altogether, while a charge of shot fired at a bullfinch in a plum or apple tree will do fiu: more damage than the bird itself. It is a strong hardy bird, quite well able to bear severe weather, as it can always find buds of some sort and is one of the few birds which feed on ' hips,' as the berries of the dog-rose and sweet-briar are called. No bird is a greater favourite as a cage-bird with cottagers, and a brood of young ' olfs ' is reared with the greatest care. There is a large northern race or species of bullfinch (P. major), of which the cock has a paler grey back and a still brighter red breast than our bird. It has once been shot in Norfolk, and once plainly seen in Suflfolk, but ' Russian bullfinches ' are now imported in such numbers that there is at least a likelihood of both these being escaped birds. Dr. Babington records for what they are worth a few occurrences of the pine grosbeak (P. enucleator), but adds that ' the above quoted instances appear to be doubtftil' and his remark seems to be much to the point. 73. Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra, Linn. Locally, Robin-Hawk. A well known species whose migrations are almost as irregular and uncertain as those of the waxwing. In some years, as in 1867-8, and again in 1888-9, .the bird-stuffers' shops have been full of crossbills in every variety of plumage, but a man who brought some into Bury in 1888 remarked that he had seen none for twenty years. In 1889 several nests were found containing eggs, of which full details are given in the Birds of Norfolk (iii. 390, 391). There was a smaller migration in 1898 in the late sum- mer, and some were shot in Norfolk as early as August, the birds being so tame that in one place they were killed with a catapult. The crossbill is a very early breeder, having eggs in March even in Scotland, where it breeds regularly. The Marge, stout-billed race, formerly distinguished as the parrot- crossbill [Loxia pityopsittacus),' mentioned in- cidentally by Mr. Saunders [Manual, p. 202), has occurred in Suffolk more than once. A very fine red male of this form shot near Bury in December, 1888, measured nearly ^ inches in length in the flesh, and is in the Tostock rectory collection. 74. Two-barred Crossbill. Loxia bifasciata (C. L. Brehm) A very rare visitant from the north-east. 187
