Page:VCH Hertfordshire 1.djvu/242

A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 57. Greenfinch. Ligurinus chloris (Linn.). This is a common resident throughout the county. Varieties of this bird have been obtained. One shot at Chapmore End near Hertford in September, 1882, was of a creamy white colour ; its wings were mostly yellow, and its eyes were pink. Another, which was caught near St. Albans in December, 1884, was of a creamy colour, nearly approaching white. 58. Hawfinch. Coccotbraustes vulgaris, Pallas. This is a bird which some few years back was looked upon as a rarity. Whether it was really rare or whether it was not well known then I do not know, but I can safely put it down as plentiful, at any rate in West Herts, at the present time. Seldom do I go out in the neighbourhood of Berkhamsted without seeing or hearing some of these birds ; while in the spring of 1895 I had the pleasure of seeing a flock of fifty or more of them. From other parts of the county also I have reports of its occurrence. 59. Goldfinch. Carduelis eltgans, Stephens. About this bird opinion seems to differ as to whether it is on the decrease or otherwise in Hertfordshire. No doubt a great many of them are taken by birdcatchers, but in spite of that the goldfinch is by no means un- common in many districts. 60. Siskin. Carduelis spinus (Linn.). The siskin is an irregular winter visitor to many parts of the county, but nowhere does it appear in any great numbers. It is frequently accompanied by the lesser redpoll (L. rufescens). 6 1. House-Sparrow. Passer domesticus (Linn.). This species is to be found everywhere throughout the county. Several albino varieties have been obtained. 62. Tree-Sparrow. Passer montanus (Linn.). The tree-sparrow is far from common in many parts of Hertfordshire, though in others it is more plentiful. Its numbers, however, cannot of course compare with the last- mentioned species. 63. Chaffinch. Fr'mgilla ccelebs, Linn. This is a common resident. In 1893 the late William Norman received for preserva- tion a hen chaffinch with a mixture of white and grey and sparrow-like markings. Mr. Thrale also had a chaffinch in his possession which had a white head. In 1884 a chaffinches' nest was found with eggs, on which the bird was sitting, on January 3Oth ; the nest was built in a piece of cottager's kale in the garden of Mr. Ricardo Palmer at Bushey. 64. Brambling. Fr'mgilla montifringilla, Linn. In some years this bird has visited the county in immense flocks, while in others few, if any, bramblings appear. In March, 1895, I saw countless numbers feeding on the beech-nuts under the trees in Ashridge Park. Many of these had nearly assumed breeding plumage. Amongst them I saw one with a white head. In December, 1897, I again saw thousands of these birds passing in a southerly direction over Berkhamsted. The latest date on which I have seen this species was on April 6th, 1895, near Pendley Manor, Tring. 65. Linnet. Linota cannabina (Linn.). This is a common resident in most parts of Hertfordshire, though Mr. Joseph Nunn in- forms me that during the last few years it has become much scarcer in the Royston district than it was formerly. Mr. E. S. Fordham in 1883 found two or three linnets' nests placed in brussels sprouts that had run to seed, a rather unusual nesting-place for this bird to choose. 66. Mealy Redpoll. Linota linaria (Linn.). Mr. Sainsbury Verey caught a pair of these birds near St. Albans in 1861, while in 1866 a pair were obtained near Elstree. The only other record I can find of this species in Hertfordshire is of one which was taken by Mr. Banfield on the borders of the county towards Ivinghoe in September, 1883. 67. Lesser Redpoll. Linota rufescens (Vieillot). This species is a frequent visitor to the county during the winter, often appearing in some numbers. There are however few recorded instances of its nesting with us, al- though probably it does so oftener than is known. I can only mention four places where its nest has been found St. Albans, Newsells Park (Barkway) and Sawbridgeworth, and I have seen an egg of this species which was taken on Berkhamsted Common within the last three years. 68. Twite. Linota fla virostris (Linn.). In December, 1883,3 pair, and in February, 1884, two pairs of twites were caught in the neighbourhood of Aldbury by birdcatchers ; while on May 4th in the latter year a male was taken in the neighbourhood of Hitchin. 69. Bullfinch. Pyrrhula europtea, Vieillot. This bird is plentiful in most parts of the county, although it is rather shot down in 202