A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 75. Tree-Sparrow. Passer montanus (Linn.) Rare as a breeding species but fairly com- mon in winter, when it may readily be dis- tinguished by its high-pitched note. Mr. Butterfield says that a colony breed and reside at Camber Castle near Rye. 76. Chaffinch. Fringilla coelebs, Linn. Locally, Cavenger (M. J. Nicoll). Abundant throughout the year. In the autumn when a large number of migratory chaffinches pass through Sussex the sexes keep apart. For some days males only are seen, and then for a while the other sex will be in completely, and generally at the begmnmg of evidence. In the spring again a migration of the nesting season. I have seen as many as ^j^e males to the north comes first, ten freshly made hawfinches nests at Denne Park which have been deserted. In the next 77. Brambling. Fringi/la montifringil/a, Linn. year four nests only were built and one A regular winter visitor, tenanted, from which young were brought „ t • r • , ■ ,r ■ out. With great regularity family parties of 78- L'^net. Lmota cannakna (Lmn.) hawfinches appear in our gardens and attack Common and resident. 68. Sand-Martin. Cottle rlparia (Linn.) Whilst both swallows and house-martins appear to vary in numbers and date of arrival according to the season, the sand-martins always seem to be numerous and regular in their appearance in spring. 69. Greenfinch. Ligurinus chloris (Linn.) Abundant everywhere, although not so common as in Wiltshire. 70. Hawfinch. Coccothraustes vulgaris, Pallas. The hawfinch is fairly common locally, but in some years they desert certain districts the ripe peas, a somewhat bold move for birds which are generally so shy. 71. Goldfinch. Carduelis elegans, Stephens. The goldfinch is undoubtedly far scarcer than formerly, but its numbers are certainly not now on the decrease. Though large numbers of this beautiful little bird were, and are, annually caught on the downs near Brighton, I think with Mr. Meade-Waldo that its present scarcity is due rather to the disappearance of its favourite fallows and pas- tures. Somewhat large flocks of migratory goldfinches are to be occasionally seen in the autumn. As an instance of the abundance of this species near Brighton in former times, Mr. Booth states that a bird-catcher once took at one pull of his net eleven dozen goldfinches, and Mr. Hussey [Zoologist, i860, p. 7144) put the annual capture of this species near Worthing at about 1,154 dozen. 72. Siskin. Carduelis spinus (Linn.) A regular winter visitor, and generally found in small flocks feeding on the alders. 73. Serin. Serinus hortulanus, K. L. Koch. I have no doubt that the serin visits Sussex in the spring far more frequently than is generally supposed, though specimens have rarely been taken. One year, 1884, the Brighton bird-catchers captured three of these birds, one of which, a beautiful adult male, was kept alive for a short time by the late Mr. Henry Seebohm, who on its death kindly presented it to me. 74. House-Sparrow. Passer domesticus {L' n.) Quite a plague, especially at harvest time. 79. Mealy Redpoll. Linota linaria (Linn.) A rare winter visitor. 80. Lesser Redpoll. Linota rufescens {VmWo^. The lesser redpoll generally arrives and associates with the siskins during its short winter stay. A few have been known to remain and nest. 81. Twite. Linota Jlavirostris (Linn.) A somewhat unusual winter visitor to west Sussex but occurs annually in east Sussex ; it is generally found in small flocks near the coast. 82. Bullfinch. Pyrrhula europaa, Vieillot. Bullfinches are certainly far commoner than they were a few years ago. One now sees large numbers in the woods when covert shooting is going on. 83. Scarlet Grosbeak. Pyrrhula erythrtna (Pallas). There is only one instance of the occur- rence of this species in Sussex, a specimen having been caught on the downs near Brighton in September, 1869 (Yarrell). 84. Pine - Grosbeak. Pyrrhula enucleator (Linn.) The pine-grosbeak is said to have occurred twice in Sussex. 85. Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra, Linn. Large numbers of crossbills visit us in certain seasons, arriving in September and often staying throughout the whole winter. They are particularly fond of the west end of St. Leonards Forest, where in 1899 I got 280
