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_, Vieillot. French, "Bovreuil commun."--Miss C.B. Carey, in the 'Zoologist' for 1874, mentions a Bullfinch having been brought into Couch's shop in November of that year, and adds--"This bird is much more common in Jersey than it is here." Miss Carey is certainly right as to its not being common in Guernsey, as I have never seen the bird on any of my expeditions to that Island, nor have I seen it in either of the other Islands which come within my district. Professor Ansted includes the Bullfinch in his list, but oddly enough only marks it as occurring in Guernsey and Sark, although Mr. Gallienne, in his remarks published with the list, says--"The Bullfinch occasionally breeds in Jersey, but is rarely seen in Guernsey," so far agreeing with Miss Carey's note in the 'Zoologist,' but he does not add anything about Sark. There is no specimen in the Museum. 72. COMMON CROSSBILL. _Loxia curvirostra_, Linnaeus. French, "Bec-croisé," "Bec-croisé commun."--The Crossbill is an occasional visitant to all the Islands, and sometimes in considerable numbers, but, as in England, it is perfectly irregular as to the time of year it chooses for its visits. Mr. MacCulloch writes me word--"The Crossbill is most uncertain in its visits. Many years will sometimes pass without a single one being heard of. When they do come it is generally in large flocks. I have known them arrive in early autumn, and do great havoc amongst the apples, which they cut up to get at the pips. Sometimes they make their appearance in the winter, seemingly driven from the Continent by the cold."