Hit A MB L I N G .
FRINGILLA MONTIFMNGILLA.
THOUGH an annual visitor in considerable numbers to our shores, I never remarked lliis species on passage
across the North Sea, and the wings received from the light-ships off the east coast during Hie seasons
of 1S72 and 187J did not exceed a score. It is possible that line and clear weather may have prevailed at thu
time of their migration during these years; and under such circumstances hut few Would lie injured by
strikiug the lights. Still, as I was aide to gather little or no information concerning this species from
the crews of any of the vessels, it is most probable tin' main Mocks of Hrambliugs make the land
towards the northern portion of the Seidell coast. Their early arrival in the Highlands, a month or so
at least licfore any numbers show themselves iu England, also points to the same conclusion.
All parts of the Highland-, (with the exception of the high fungi's) appear to be occasionally vi-ited;
I have round large iloeks in many of the wildest glens. According to my own experience, they seldom
stray far up the mouulaia-side, resorting ou their first arrival to the stubble-fields and being especially
partial to the neighbourhood of beech trees. On the approach of severe weather they betake themselves to the
farmvards ; and by far the greater numlicr eventually move south to avoid the protracted cold anil the
hardships of a winter in the liarreu northern glens.
Stragglers and small parties may In- seen almost every season on the eastern and southern coast, and,
indeed, in all parts of the country, though the immense gatherings thai arc occasionally met with do
not put in an appearance with the same regularity. Ilard frost, however, generally brings considerable
flocks to the southern counties, where they join company with Finches and Linnets on the stubbles and
waste lands. I have now and then observed them moving towards the west with the multitudes of Larks
aud other small birds that pass along the Sussex coast alter a heavy fall of snow. I did not remark thai
Hrambliugs were particularly numerous iu the severe weather of January ISO", when Fieldfares and
Redwings were far more abundant than iu any subsequent year. In January 1S71 these birds arrived
in countless swarms, many of the fields along the coast being completely covered when a Hock alighted—
their hright colours, shown up as they flew past the snow-drifts, being particularly attractive. During
the terrible hurricane in January 1 "ss 1 large flights again appeared in the soulh; and on this occasion
they suffered excessively from the continued inclemency of the weather. Hundreds collecled round the
bouses, eagerly availing themselves of any scraps of food provided Tor the starving swarms of pensi rs;
while here and there a worn-out traveller, uuinl-od and helpless, would creep into some sheltered corner
and, puffing out its feathers, quietly await its fate. Tho numbers of small birds that perished during
this storm could scarcely he credited, except by those who witnessed the immense quantities of dead
bodies (collected together in many instances to the extent of several hundreds) that were ox'iosod to
view as the snow melted.
1 obtained a specimen hi January 1871 that exhibited a black or rath er a dark greyish-cob Hired throat, the