110 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[May 1, 1S6S. 



those in which the Hawfinch breeds regularly. My 

 ornithological observations, taken near .Cookham, 

 Berks, have proved that the Hawfinch is a regular 

 breeder in the Duchess of Sutherland's woods at 

 Cliefden, and I have little doubt that it will be 

 found to build in most of the large woods in the 

 south-eastern counties of England; but owing to 

 the extremely wary nature of the bird, it has 

 doubtless been overlooked. 



In Epping Eorest the Hawfinch used to breed 

 plentifully, and Mr. Henry Doubleday has written 

 a very interesting account of its; habits and nidi- 

 fication. Unfortunately, space will not allow me 

 to quote all his observations entire, but I have 

 ventured to extract the pith, and for the entire 

 essay must refer my readers either to his original 

 article,* or to Mr. Gould's magnificent work on the 

 "Birds of Great Britain," where an excellent figure 

 of the old and young birds is given. Mr. Double- 

 day says, "Their principal food here seems to be 

 the seed of the hornbeam [Carpinus betidus), which 

 is the prevailing species of tree in Epping Eorest; 

 they also feed on the kernels of the [haws, plum- 

 stones, laurel-berries, &c, and in summer make 

 great havoc amongst green peas in gardens in the 

 vicinity of the forest. About the middle of April 

 they pair, and in a week or two commence] nidi- 

 fication. 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 situation; they 

 also frequently build on the horizontal arms of old 

 oaks, the heads of pollard hornbeams, in hollies, 

 and occasionally in fir-trees in plantations; the 

 elevation at which the nest is placed varying from 

 five to twenty-five or thirty feet. The most correct 

 description of the nest I have seen is in Latham's 

 " Synopsis." It is there said to be composed of 

 the dead twigs of oak, honeysuckle, &c, intermixed 

 with pieces of grey lichen. The quantity of this 

 last material varies much in different nests, but it 

 is never absent ; in some it is only very sparingly 

 placed among the twigs, in others the greater part 

 of the nest is composed of it ; the lining consists 

 of fine roots and a little hair. The whole fabric is 

 very loosely put together, and it requires consider- 

 able care to remove it from its situation uninjured. 

 The young are hatched about the third week in 

 May, and as soon as they are able to provide fOr 

 themselves, they unite with the old birds in flocks, 

 varying in numbers from fifteen or twenty to one 

 hundred or even to two hundred individuals. In 

 this manner they remain through the winter, feed- 

 ing on the hornbeam seeds which have fallen to 

 the ground, the newly-cracked shells of which are 

 to be seen in abundance at their haunts ; the birds 

 only separate at the approach of the breeding 

 season. I believe the male has no song worth 



* Magazine of Zoology and Botany, vol. i. 



notice. In warm days in March I have heard them, 

 when a number have been sitting together on a 

 tree, uttering a few notes in a soft tone, bearing 

 some resemblance to those of the Bullfinch." 



I am able to confirm Mr. Doubleday's obser- 

 vations as regards the Hawfinch's partiality for 

 green peas. Mr. Briggs, the head -gardener at 

 Eormosa, near Cookham, has shown me Hawfinches 

 which he has shot in the act of pilfering the peas, 

 and which have had their crops distended with 

 them. These are always young birds, as the old 

 ones are far too wary to approach the neighbour- 

 hood of habitations in the daytime. Their hour of 

 depredation is in the early morning, when they 

 descend with vigour upon the plum and other fruit, 

 trees; and when the gardener rises and comes for his 

 fruit, he finds the ripest gone, and nothing left but 

 the "flesh" of the plums, and the chips of stones, 

 lying strewn under the tree in all directions, while 

 all that can be seen of the marauder is a small 

 bird, conspicuous from the white on the tail, 

 shoulders, and wings, scudding away, like light- 

 ning, to the nearest thicket, into which it pluuges, 

 and is seen no more. Mr. Briggs has often watched 

 the Hawfinches at work, and he tells me the dex- 

 terity with which they strip off the fruit to get at 

 the kernels is marvellous. One turn of the head in 

 either direction and the stone is laid bare; then 

 comes a sharp " crack," and the chips fall to the 

 ground, while the bird immediately proceeds to 

 another plum. Eor procuring this kind of food its 

 hard strong beak is admirably adapted. It may 

 be said that by thus exposing his depredations I 

 am stirring up the enmity of the gardeners against 

 the Hawfinch, but of this I have not much fear. 

 He is able to take care of himself, and where he 

 is not yet known he is likely to remain long so, for 

 of all our English birds there is not one shyer, or 

 more difficult to see. 



But the Hawfinch, wary as he may be, has a far 

 more subtle and dangerous foe in the bird-catcher. 

 Last year several bred near Hampstead, where the 

 bird has been common for the last few years. In 

 this neighbourhood dozens of Hawfinches are cap- 

 tured annually, while I know one bird-fancier alone 

 who had eighteen' eggs of this species brought to 

 him one morning last summer. 



There are many more interesting details con- 

 nected with the Hawfinch, if space would allow 

 me to consider them. I must, however, say one 

 word in conclusion with regard to its geographical 

 distribution. It is found all over the continent of 

 Europe, and Mr. Gould has specimens from Asia 

 Minor. Mr. Salvin met with it in the Eastern 

 Atlas, and it is a winter visitant to Algeria, accord- 

 ing to Loche, who says that it occasionally breeds 

 in this latter country. It was observed by the 

 Rev. H. B. Tristram once near Gilead, in Palestine ; 

 and, according to Lord Lilford, is common in Epirus 



