166 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



in Latham's Synopsis, to be that of a Hawfinch ; and 

 I soon found another nest in a tall whitethorn, by means 

 of the old birds, who kept up a continual agitation around 

 me. I now actively pursued the search, and found 

 between that time and May 8 eight other nests with 

 eggs, and five which I considered new nests, they being 

 either difficult of access or unfinished when I went away. 

 Of this large number all were built in thorn trees 

 save the following — three in elder bushes, about 5 or 6 

 feet from the ground, one in the hanging branches of 

 a slender holly tree (this one quite close to the house), 

 one on the horizontal bough of a hornbeam, one in a 

 yew tree. By following up their note I found a flock 

 of about twelve among some tall hornbeams. Some of 

 these would probably have built nests subsequently to my 

 departure. To find ten undoubted Hawfinch's nests is, 

 I believe, a rare occurrence for a young ornithologist, 

 especially considering that I had never seen a Hawfinch, 

 for certain, previous to the four weeks in which I found 

 the nests. Mr. Doubleday remarks on the extreme wild- 

 ness of the Hawfinch in Epping Forest. As far as I have 

 observed, it is not always very wild. Last winter I ob- 

 served one hopping about on the grass within ten paces 

 of the house (Cobham). When seen so near, the white 

 bill of the winter plumage had a very odd appearance, 

 giving one the idea of a bird with a piece of bread in its 

 mouth. I imagine that some Hawfinches leave us in the 

 winter and return to breed." 



In his notes on the birds at Eainham, Mr. F. D. Power 

 says: "October 9, 1808, saw one Hawfinch. Not an 

 uncommon species in the summer, but always rare in 

 the winter months." 



Mr. A. Skinner, of Faversham, states : "In June, 1869, 



