BIRDS close to a flock of over a hundred. All the visitors are apparently of the smaller species, in fact I have never seen the big form known as the 'parrot-crossbill' south of the Scottish border. Mr. Borrer however records two specimens of the large form captured within the county.
86. Two-barred Crossbill. Loxia bifasilata (C. L. Brehm).
A beautiful male was shot between West- field and Sedlescombe on February 23, 1899, and exhibited by Mr. Norman Ticehurst at a meeting of the British Ornithologists' Club held on July 4, 1899.
87. Black-headed Bunting. Emhcriza melano- cephala, Scopoli. An old female of this species, the first British example, was shot about November 3, 1868, on Brighton racecourse (Gould, Ibis, 1869, p. 128). Another was picked up on the railway near Bexhill on November 23, 1894 {Zoc/ngist, 1897, p. 273). 88. Corn-Bunting. Emheriza mtitaria, Linn. A very local species, being common near the coast and rare in north and west Sussex, the country in theshe parts being probably too heavily timbered to suit its tastes. 89. Yellow Hammer. Emheriza citrinella, Linn.
A common resident.
90. Cirl Bunting. Emheriza cir/us, Linn. A local species generally found near the coast about Brighton, Worthing and Bognor. The cirl bunting rarely visits the Weald. It nests regularly near St. Leonards, Winchelsea and Worthing.
91. Ortolan Bunting. Emheriza hortiilana, Linn. The ortolan bunting was considered to be at one time a regular spring and summer visitor to the fig gardens near Lancing, and before the days of the Wild Birds Protection Act a few were certainly taken near there by the bird-catchers. Now it is only a rare summer visitor. I have a specimen in my collection which was captured near Brighton, and which I obtained from the late Mr. Sways- land, who had kept it alive for a short time. Mr. Borrer records some six instances of its capture, and Mr. Pratt says he received two in 1896 respectively from Rottingdean and Eastbourne.
92. Rustic Bunting. Emheriza rustica, Pallas. The first example of the rustic bunting
known to have occurred in England was caught near Brighton on October 23, 1867. It is now in the collection of Mr. T. G. Monk of Lewes. 93. Little Bunting. Emheriza pinilla, Pallas. The only British example of the little bunting was taken alive near Brighton and brought to Mr. Swaysland on November 2, 1864. It is now in Mr. Monk's collection. 94. Reed - Bunting. Emheriza schaeriic/us, Linn. Resident by the rivers and marshes, but in no part of Sussex very plentiful. 95. Snow-Bunting. Plectrophmax nivalis (Linn.) A winter visitor, arriving with the snow, and in cold seasons numerous, especially near the coast. The snow-bunting has a very sweet song. In the barren wastes of Iceland, where the stillness is seldom broken except by the melancholy calls of the whimbrel and the golden plover, the notes of this little bird are singularly effective. 96. Lapland Bunting. Cakarius lappo?iicus (Linn). A rare autumn or winter visitor. A speci- men in my collection was caught in the winter of 1878 and kept alive until it had completely assumed its full summer plumage. I consider this bunting a far more regular visitor than it is generally supposed to be. I have known one lark-catcher to take as many as four in two years. [Red-winged Starling. Agelaiis phxniceiis (Pallas^). This rare visitor, so common in America, is said to have occurred twice within the county (Borrer), but it is very doubtful whether the species should be included in the birds of Great Britain.] 97. Starling. Sturnus vulgaris, Linn. Next to the sparrow the commonest of birds and still increasing in number. Formerly the starling generally nested either in houses or in old trees in their immediate vicinity, but now they will even repair to the lonely depths of the forest and evict the woodpeckers. 98. Rose-coloured Pastor. Pastor roscus (Linn.) The rose-coloured pastor has occurred several times in Sussex, notably of late years. There is a beautiful adult male in the Borrer collection shot near Brighton on August 20, 1870.
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