inter.

Professor Ansted includes the Goldfinch in his list, but marks it as
occurring only in Guernsey and Sark. There is no specimen in the Museum.

69. SISKIN. _Carduelis spinus_, Linnaeus. French, "Tarin," "Grosbec
tarin."--The Siskin can only be looked upon as an occasional, accidental
visitant--indeed, I only know of one instance of its occurrence, and
that is recorded by Mr. Couch at p. 4296 of the 'Zoologist' for 1875 in
the following words:--"I have the first recognised specimen of the
Siskin; a boy knocked it down with a stone in an orchard at the Vrangue
in September." This communication is dated November, 1874. I have never
seen the Siskin in any of the Channel Islands myself, and Mr. MacCulloch
writes me word--"I have never heard of a Siskin here, but, being
migratory, it may occur." I see, however, no reason to doubt Mr.
Couch's statement in the 'Zoologist,' as the bird was brought into his
shop. He must have had plenty of opportunity of identifying it, though
he does not tell us whether he preserved it. There can, however, be no
possible reason why the Siskin should not occasionally visit Guernsey on
migration, as it extends its southern journey through Spain to the
Mediterranean and across to the North-western Coast of Africa; and the
Channel Islands would seem to lie directly in its way.

The Siskin, however, is not mentioned in Professor Ansted's list, and
there is no specimen at present in the Museum.

70. LINNET. _Linota cannabina_, Linnaeus. French, "Linotte," "Grosbec
linotte."--The Linnet is resident and the most numerous bird in the
Islands by far, outnumbering even the House Sparrow, and it is equally
common and breeds in all the Islands. The Channel Islands Linnets always
appear to me extremely bright-coloured, the scarlet on the head and
breast during the breeding-season being brighter than in any British
birds I have ever seen. Though the Linnet is itself so numerous, it is,
as far as I have been able to ascertain, the only representative of its
family to be found in the Channel Islands; at least I have never seen
and had no information of the occurrence of either the Lesser Redpole,
the Mealy Redpole, or the Twite, though I can see no reason why each of
these birds should not occasionally occur.

The Linnet is included in Professor Ansted's list, but marked by him as
only occurring in Guernsey and Sark; and there is a specimen in the
Museum.

71. BULLFINCH. _Pyrrhula europaea_, V