COCCOTHRAUSTES VULGARIS.
Hawfinch.

Lowia coccothraustes, Linneus, Gmelin, &c.
Fringilla coccothraustes, Temminck.
Coccothraustes vulgaris, Fleming, Selby, &c.
deformis, Koch.

—— atrigularis, Macgillivray.

 

 

; ‘ ne
THE Hawfinch, or Grosbeals, as it is frequently called, is by far the largest of the Mringillide inhabiting
Great Britain, where it is a constant resident. Although somewhat local, it is far more generally dispersed
over the country than was formerly supposed. Mr. Rodd mentions it in his ‘ List of Cornish Birds ;’ but it
appears to be less common in Cornwall than in many other parts of England. In Sussex, Surrey, Kent,
Middlesex, and Essex it is very abundant, and, although the northern dauniee are not without its presence,
it gradually becomes less numerous towards the north; it is, however, found in the southern parts of Scot-
land. In Ireland it . certainly not so numerous as in England, but still it is far from rare in that country.
The Rev. F. O. Morris, after enumerating the several parts of Ireland in which it has been found, says,
«But in the Phoenix Park, near Dublin, where the hawthorn-trees are both among the finest and in the

On the
continent of Europe it is, I believe, not too much to say that it is universally dispersed, except in the

greatest numbers I have ever seen, it appears to be procurable in small numbers every winter.”
extreme northern parts. It was met with in the eastern Atlas of North Africa by Mr. Salvin; and I have
specimens in my collection which were procured in Asia Minor. This, however, is not the extent of its
range in an easterly direction ; for, although it does not form part of the avi-fauna of India, strange to say,
it is one of the very commonest birds of the Amoor, China, and Japan, as is evidenced by the numerous
examples sent home from those countries. So precisely do Chinese specimens accord with those killed in
Britain, that I am quite unable to detect even such a slight variation between them as would be sufficient to
constitute them a different race.

For the best account of the habits of the Hawfinch we are indebted to the pen of Mr. Henry Doubleday,
of Epping, a gentleman well known as a lover of nature, and a keen observer of our native birds. In his
paper on the subject, published in the first volume of the ‘ Magazine of Zoology and Botany,’ he says, ‘‘ I have
for some years given close attention to their habits, and I can safely assert that they are permanent residents ;
nor can I perceive any addition to their numbers by the arrival of foreigners at any period of the year. Their
extreme shyness has, no doubt, contributed to keep us in ignorance of their habits and economy ; in this trait
they exceed any land-bird with which I am acquainted, and in open places it is almost impossible to approach
them within gunshot. Their principal food here appears to be the seed of the hornbeam (Carpinus betulus,
Linn.), which is the prevailing species of tree in Epping Forest ; they also feed on the kernels of the haws,

ereen peas in gardens, in the
5D

og

plum-stones, laurel-berries, &c., and in summer make great havoe amongst
vicinity of the forest.
« About the middle of April they pair, and in a week or two commence nidification. The situation of the

nest is various, but it is most commonly placed in an old scrubby white-thorn bush, often in a very exposed

build on the horizontal arms of old oaks, the heads of pollard hornbeams, in

situation ; they also frequently
antations, the elevation at which the nest is placed varying from

hollies, and occasionally in fir-trees in pl
five to twenty-five or thirty feet. The most correct description of the nest which I have seen is in Latham’s
It is there said to be composed of the dead twigs of oak, honeysuckle, &c., intermixed with
of this last material varies much in different nests, but it is never absent ;
in others the greater part of the nest is composed

‘Synopsis.’
pieces of grey lichen: the quantity
in some it is only very sparingly placed among the twigs,
of it: the lining consists of fine roots and a little hair. The whole fabric is very loosely put together, and it
requires considerable care to remove it from its situation uninjured.”

A nest taken from a tall white-thorn by Joseph Gurney Barclay, Esq., who resides at Leighton, near
Epping Forest, is described by Mr. Yarrell as being “formed of twigs laid
directions, as a framework or foundation of support ; and the whole of the upper part was composed of
gardeners’ bass, wreathed in circles, and mixed with a few fine roots.” Another nest brought pode Yarrell
“had a flat under surface of dead twigs of fir and birch, nearly as thick as wheat-straw, with fibrous roots

and grey lichen laid flat upon them, the structure resembling the

“ The eggs,” says Mr. Doubleday, “ vary in number from four to six,

i : : De “mens are far less marked than others and
with black, and irregularly streaked with dusky grey. Some specimens are fi é io ‘ | :
their length is eleven lines by eight lines and a hall in breadth.

across the branches, in various

platform-nests made by Doves and Pigeons.’

and are of a pale olive-green, spotted

I have seen some of a uniform pale green ;