174 ENGLISH BIRD LIFE 



and with massive, leaden-blue bill tearing down the 

 fruit, his chestnut hues relieved by the black and 

 white on his wings; a sturdy form compacted for 

 strength rather than grace, yet truly a handsome 

 bird. See him there for a moment, and note him 

 well, for on the crackling of a twig he is gone, and 

 one may travel far and wait long before so close 

 an inspection be granted again. 



Curiously, for a Finch, the nest of the Hawfinch 

 is crudely and carelessly made. It is formed ol 

 twigs intermixed with lichen, and is commonly 

 found on the branches of hawthorns, often at a con- 

 siderable elevation. The eggs — four to five in 

 number — are of a bluish-green, spotted and streaked 

 with dark olive and brown. 



At one time the Hawfinch was regarded as an 

 occasional visitor merelv to England, and it would 

 certainly appear from the references of the older 

 writers, that it was once far less common than it 

 is to-dav. Now it is known to be a resident breed- 

 ing species in most of the southern counties, and 

 its range has extended to the north, even to North- 

 imiberland. 



Another true forest lover is the Crossbill. In times 

 gone bv, great mystery surrounded this curious 

 bird. In many ancient documents his appearance 

 is recorded, and like the Hawfinch, he would seem 

 to have been regarded merely as an erratic visitor. 

 Thus we read, " the yeere 1593 was a greate and 

 exceeding yeere of apples : and there were greate 

 plenty of Strang birds, that shewed themselves at 

 the time the apples were full rype, who fedde upon 



