Their number varies much, and as a rule they are far more frequent in severe winters and when there is plenty of beech-mast. In 1865 Mr. A. E. Atkins of Farnham Court, Slough, observed vast numbers in Stoke Park. When the flock started from their roosting-place they continued streaming by without intermission for thirty-five minutes!
58. Linnet. Linota cannabina (Linn.).
Very common.
59. Mealy Redpoll. Linota linaria (Linn.).
The mealy redpoll is a winter visitor to England, occurring along the east coast south to the south coast, where it is frequent in some years, as was the case in 1895, when many hundreds were caught near Brighton; yet it is generally rare. We have hardly any record for Buckinghamshire, but it is sure to occur more or less frequently in the county. It is known to visit the Thames valley, and one was taken by Mr. Banfield on the borders of Hertfordshire near Ivinghoe in September 1883. The breeding home of this bird is Scandinavia to 69 north lat., Finland, western Russia, and south to the northeastern corner of East Prussia.
60. Linota holbælli (C. L. Brehm.). (This bird is not mentioned in Mr. Saunders' list. It is true that L. bornemanni is mentioned as doubtfully distinct from L. linaria, but L. hornemanni is quite a different form again, inhabiting Greenland during the breeding season. We have adapted the name of the present form to Mr. Saunders' nomenclature, although we believe that the proper generic name should be Acanthis.)
The breeding home of L. holbcelli is Norway, northern Lapland, and perhaps parts of Sweden. Sharpe (Handbook to the Birds of Great Britain, i. 47) mentions two specimens of this form in the British Museum which are labelled by John Gould as having been obtained near Norwich in January. We have in the Tring Museum an adult male caught near Aston Clinton, Bucks, on December 14, 1895. There can be no doubt that it belongs to L. holbaelli, but the red on the crown is abnormally pale. The wings are 80 mm. long, the tail 62. There is much more red on the rump than in L. linaria.
61. Lesser Redpoll. Linota rufescens( Vieilot).
Frequent in most winters, though varying in numbers. We do not know of an authenticated nest in the county, but we have no doubt that it has occasionally bred there. W. Rothschild has several times seen it on the ' flats,' near Champneys Park, close to the borders of Bucks, in summer, and is confident that it nested there, and Crossman records its breeding on Berkhamsted Common, close to Bucks.
62. Twite. Linota flavirostris (Linn.). A somewhat scarce winter visitor, though doubtless often unnoticed. We have it from the neighbourhood of Aston Clinton and Halton. Mr. Alfred Heneage Cocks informs us that three specimens were caught near Skirmett in a pheasant trap in the middle of February 1902.
63. Bullfinch. Pyrrhula europæa, Vieillot.
Very common throughout the year.
64. Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra. Linn.
A frequent winter visitor, and though rare or even absent in some years very numerous in others. As is well known, this bird is somewhat erratic in its breeding places, and it has probably also bred, though exceptionally, in the county. In the old manuscript at Dinton Hall is the figure of a specimen of ' ye Crossbill or Shellapple ' which was shot in 1782. The author adds the following interesting notes: ' Is an inconstant visitor of this island and breeds in ye pine-forests of Germany and Switzerland; it feeds on ye cones of those trees. It is a fact that it changes ye shades of its colour in different seasons of ye year from deep red to yellow and ye females which are greenish alter to different varieties of the same colour. Ten of these birds were shot and several others seen by ye Revnd . W. Goodall in ye Wilderness of Dinton Hall August 8th 1791. They had been observed by the servants some weeks, tho' they mistook them for bull finches. Qyr had they bred there? As some of ye males had not then gained thefr full plumage and one of ye females had not as yet a single yellow feather.'
65. Corn-Bunting. Emberiza miliaria, Linn.
Locally, Bunting, Bunting-Lark or Common Bunting.
Common enough in the arable districts, but absent from wooded hills and parks. It is very seldom seen here in winter.
66. Yellow Bunting. Emberiza citrinella, Linn.
Better known as the yellow hammer. A common resident.
67. Cirl Bunting. Emberiza cirlus, Linn.
This bunting is a regular breeder in the Chiltern Hills, though being far from com-
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