Pine Grosbeak - 1894

Pinicola enudeator

Although we believe that this north European species has no claim to a place on the list of Pembrokeshire birds, yet we are obliged to admit it because of a piece of ancient history of which it would not do to evince our ignorance. In Mr. Harting's useful " Handbook of British Birds," at p. 113, it is stated that "several" of these birds appeared in Pembrokeshire "date not mentioned, Fox, Synops. Newcastle Mus., p. 65." And the following appears as a note in Professor Newton's edition of Yarrell's "British Birds," vol. ii., p. 178 : "A flock of about a hundred unknown birds came to a hempyard in Pembrokeshire in Sept., 1694, as reported by a Mr. Roberts to Llhivyd Phil. Trans., xxvii., pp. 464, 466, who suspected they were 'Virginia Nightingales' (Cardinalis virginiatius), but later writers suggested they were Pine Grosbeaks." They may have been anything ; if we might venture a guess, we should say " Common Crossbills."

Mathew M.A. 1894, Birds of Pembrokeshire and it's Islands