Page:The Zoologist, 1st series, vol 4 (1846).djvu/146

1312 ring in considerable numbers, especially in severe seasons. The fol- lowing instance of this bird's nesting in confinement, has been kindly communicated to us by a gentleman residing near Norwich. A pair of bramblings built a nest in an aviary in the last week of the month of June, 1842, and two eggs were laid, both of which were removed and found to be good. In June, 1843, the same birds again nested, and the female laid two eggs, and these having been removed, they formed a second nest in a different spot, in which four eggs were deposited. The last nest, together with the eggs, were accidentally destroyed, and it was not ascertained whether the eggs laid during the year were good or not.

In the last week of June, 1844, the same pair of birds again made a nest, in which the female laid two eggs, which were also removed, and found to be good. We may add that Mr. Hewitson's work on 'British Oology,' contains an account of this bird's nesting in an aviary at Beccles, with a good figure of the egg.

A very beautiful variety, figured in the preceding page, was shot from a flock at Melton, near Norwich, in December, 1844. With the exception of a brown patch on one or two feathers of one side of the tail, this specimen was entirely white, the greater part of its plu- mage being also pervaded with an elegant tint of yellow, which par- ticularly showed itself on the sides of the head, and on the edges of the quill-feathers of the wings and tail, as well as on the feathers un- der the wing. The colour of these latter, which is usually yellow, was remarkably bright in this specimen, and extended over a greater space than usual.

Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus. A few of these birds are found in Norfolk, and breed with us, remaining throughout the year. They are very local in their habits, except in winter, when they sometimes dis- perse in search of food.

House Sparrow, Passer domesticus, Greenfinch, Coccothraustes chloris. Very common throughout the year, and breed in Norfolk.

Hawfinch, Coccothrausles vulgaris. The hawfinch is a rare bird in Norfolk, and we believe only occurs as an irregular migrant. A spe- cimen was taken alive some years since in a pigeon-house at Taver- ham in this county, a singular circumstance in a bird of such wild habits.

Goldfinch, Carduelis elegans. Not uncommon throughout the year, and breeds in Norfolk. Its numbers are somewhat increased in au- tumn by migratory arrivals on the coast. A notion exists among bird-catchers in this count}^, for the correctness of which we cannot