Page:VCH Norfolk 1.djvu/263

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BIRDS All common summer migrants. 67. Spotted Flycatcher. Muscicapa grisola, Linn. Locally, Wall or Beam-bird. This is a late summer visitor, plentifully distributed. 68. Red-breasted Flycatcher. Muscicapa parva, Bechstein. This is another of the rare migrants first obtained at Cley. Altogether four examples have been seen or obtained, three of these at Cley. 69. Swallow. Hirundo rustica, Linn. 70. House - Martin. Chelidon urbica (Linn.) 71. Sand-Martin. Cottle riparia (Linn.) 72. Greenfinch. Ligurinui chloris (Linn.). Very common in Norfolk ; its numbers are increased by autumn immigrants. 73. Hawfinch. Coccothrausta vulgaris, Pallas. This bird is apparently much more frequent in Norfolk than formerly. It breeds here, and in the autumn is sometimes met with in considerable numbers. 74. Goldfinch. Carduelis elegans, Stephens. Locally, King Harry. The goldfinch is not so numerous as former- ly, owing probably to the persistent persecu- tion to which it is subjected by bird-catchers, and to some extent also to improved cultiva- tion and the enclosure of waste places. 75- Siskin. Carduelis spinus (Linn.). A visitor in uncertain numbers in the autumn, usually departing very early in the new year. 76. Serin Finch. Serinus hortulanus, Koch. This finch has been obtained twice in Norfolk, in each instance near Yarmouth. 77. House-Sparrow. Passer domesiicus (Linn.). In Norfolk as elsewhere quite sufficiently numerous. 78. Tree-Sparrow. Passer montanus (Linn.). The tree-sparrow is either more numerous or better known in this county than formerly, but is still somewhat local. Additions are made to the resident birds by immigrants in autumn. 79. Chaffinch. Fringilla caslebs, Linn. This is certainly one of the best known birds in Norfolk, receiving large accessions to its numbers in the form of autumn migrants. 80. Brambling. Fringilla montifringilla, Linn. A winter visitor in varying and uncertain numbers. A curious variety with a black chin has been taken several times. 81. Linnet. Linota cannahina (Linn.). Another of our common species which is a partial migrant and receives large accessions to its numbers in autumn, these however soon pass on. 82. Mealy Redpoll. Linota linaria (Linn.). The mealy redpoll is with us a winter visitant in very uncertain numbers. Dr. Sharpe states in the B. M. Catalogue of Birds (xii. p. 251) that two specimens of Holboell's redpoll taken near Norwich, are in the Natural History Museum, 83. Lesser Redpoll. Linota rufescens, Vieillot. A resident in Norfolk, but not numerous ; in autumn large flocks frequently make their appearance. 84. Twite. Linota fiavirostris (Linn.). The twite, or French linnet, as it is some- times called here, is a regular winter visitant in varying numbers. 85. Bullfinch. Pyrrhula europaa, Vieillot. This is rather a local bird here, but not uncommon. A male of the Russian bullfinch [P. major, Brehm) was shot on the Yarmouth Denes in January, 1893. 86. Scarlet Bullfinch or Scarlet Grosbeak. Pyrrhula erythrina (Pallas). A female was caught on the North Denes, Yarmouth, on September 2nd, 1892 (cf. Zo- ologist, 1892, p. 401, and 1893, p. 150). 87. Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra, Linn. Small flocks of this bird are occasionally seen, but it is a very uncertain visitant. Miss Anna Gurney, in her Nat. Hist. Notes, men- tions a nest found at Sherringham, Norfolk, in April, 1829. Mr. Norgate first found it nesting on the Suffialk side of the boundary in 1885, and Lord Lilford believes it to have bred in west Norfolk several times prior to that year. Subsequently Mr. Norgate found this species nesting freely on the Norfolk and Suffialk border on several occasions. Mr. Gurney records the occurrence of an example of the red-barred crossbill, L. rubri- fasciata of Brehm, at Westwick, on September 28th, 1 87 1 {Zoologist, 1889, p. 391). 88. Parrot-Crossbill. Loxia pityopsittacus, Bechstein. Professor Newton has recorded a male 231