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CONTRIBUTION TO ORNITHOLOGY OF KINCARDINESHIRE 151<br />
MARTIN. Plentiful along coast, and about towns and villages, etc.<br />
SAND MARTIN. Usually arrives and departs<br />
earlier than the two<br />
last named. It is common where there are sand-pits.<br />
GOLDFINCH. Formerly this bird was scattered all over the county,<br />
but for it<br />
many years has been a rara avis. There are<br />
numerous stories of its<br />
having been found nesting within the<br />
county of recent years, but these reports seem to me to be<br />
without any strong foundation in fact.<br />
SISKIN. The same may be said of this bird as of the last ; only the<br />
Siskin is<br />
caught occasionally in severe winters. I know of no<br />
nest.<br />
GREENFINCH. Broadly speaking, this is a common bird, and yet<br />
one never sees it in abundance during summer. In winter its<br />
numbers are no doubt added to, when its<br />
presence<br />
is forced<br />
more upon one's notice.<br />
HOUSE SPARROW. Somewhat too common, if one may judge by<br />
reports circulated by farmers and land-tillers generally.<br />
TREE SPARROW. H. informed me he had found it<br />
breeding in this<br />
shire, but so far I have been unable to confirm this.<br />
CHAFFINCH. The most plentiful of all our finches. In my young<br />
days the bird was a cage pet, but this seems a thing of the<br />
past.<br />
BRAMBLING. Often caught in winter. Some it<br />
years is more abundant<br />
than in others.<br />
LINNET. A home bird in every sense, but its numbers have<br />
diminished since I was a youth.<br />
LESSER REDPOLE. Not plentiful, but nests, and is often caught in<br />
winter along with Linnets and the like.<br />
TWITE. Reported from Strathfindla Hill (M.\ but personally I<br />
have only seen it near the coast side.<br />
BULLFINCH. Breeds regularly in all the woods of any importance<br />
on the northern side of the shire. Large numbers are trapped<br />
annually about the villages. Have seen the birds repeatedly<br />
about Auchinblae and beside my house at times.<br />
COMMON CROSSBILL. Not rare, and not common. The species<br />
nests in Drumtochty Glen, and doubtless in other places.<br />
REED BUNTING. Breeds annually in certain districts, but not very<br />
common. Specimens are sometimes secured in autumn by<br />
bird-catchers.<br />
CORN BUNTING. A regular breeder, but I think it more abundant<br />
towards the sea-shore than in rural parts.<br />
YELLOW BUNTING. This is a very common bird in almost every<br />
locality.
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