The Sky Lark is mentioned in Professor Ansted’s list as occurring only in Guernsey and Sark.  It is, however, quite as common in Alderney and Herm.  There is no specimen in the Museum.

59.  SNOW BUNTING. Plectrophanes nivalis, Linnaeus.  French, “Ortolan de neige,” “Bruant de neige.”—­The Snow Bunting is probably a regular, though never very numerous, autumnal visitant, remaining on into the winter.  It seems to be more numerous in some years than others.  Mr. Mac Culloch tells me a good many Snow Buntings were seen in November, 1850.

Mr. Couch records one in the ‘Zoologist’ for 1874 as having been killed at Cobo on the 28th of September of that year.  This seems rather an early date.  When I was in Guernsey in November, 1875, I saw a few flocks of Snow Buntings, and one—­a young bird of the year—­which had been killed by a boy with a catapult, was brought into Couch’s shop about the same time, and I have one killed at St. Martin’s, Guernsey, in November, 1878; and Captain Hubbach writes me word that he shot three out of a flock of five in Alderney in January, 1863.

Professor Ansted mentions the Snow Bunting in his list as occurring in Guernsey and Sark, and there is a specimen at present in the Museum.

60.  BUNTING. Emberiza miliaria, Linnaeus.  French, “Le proyer,” “Bruant proyer.”—­The Bunting is resident in Guernsey and breeds there, but in very small numbers, and it is very local in its distribution.  I have seen a few in the Vale.  I saw two or three about the grounds of the Vallon in July, 1878, which were probably the parents and their brood which had been hatched somewhere in the grounds.

It is mentioned in Professor Ansted’s list as occurring only in Guernsey.  There is one specimen in the Museum.

61.  YELLOW HAMMER. Emberiza citrinella, Linnaeus.  French, “Bruant jaune.”—­The Yellow Hammer, though resident and breeding in all the Islands, is by no means as common as in many parts of England.  In Alderney perhaps it is rather more common than in Guernsey, as I saw some near the Artillery Barracks this summer, 1878, and Captain Hubbach told me he had seen two or three pairs about there all the year.  In Guernsey, on the other hand, I did not see one this summer, 1878.  I have, however, shot a young bird there which certainly could not have been long out of the nest.  I have never seen the Cirl Bunting in any of the Islands, nor has it, as far as I know, been recorded from them, which seems rather surprising, as it is common on the South Coast of Devon, and migratory, but not numerous, on the North Coast of France;[12] so it is very probable that it may yet occur.

The Yellow Hammer is included in Professor Ansted’s list, and marked as occurring in Guernsey and Sark.  There are also a pair in the Museum.

62.  CHAFFINCH. Fringilla caelebs, Linnaeus.  French, “Pinson ordinaire,” “Grosbec pinson.”—–­ The Chaffinch is resident, tolerably common, and generally distributed throughout the Islands, but is nowhere so common as in England.  In Guernsey this year, 1878, it seemed to me rather to have decreased in numbers, as I saw very few,—­certainly not so many as in former years,—­though I could not find that there was any reason for the decrease.