J. E. LITTLEBOY BIRDS OBSERVED IN 1879. 75 



crumbs as his daily food, or "whether the exigencies of a hard 

 winter reduced him to that extremity. The liawfincli is supposed 

 to feed principally on berries— those of the laurel, holly, and haw- 

 thorn being- mostly preferred — and its gencu'ic name, Coccuthraustes, 

 from coccos (a berry), and tlirauo (to break), would seem to indicate 

 its preference for this description of food. Hawfinches are said to 

 be adepts at stripping and shelling peas, and in gardens which they 

 visit they are found to be even more destructive than the bullfinch. 

 Considering their prevalence during the early portion of the year, 

 it is remarkable that they have not been reported from any piirt 

 of the county during the present winter. Mr. Solly informs me 

 that he saw three together at Serge Hill on several occasions during 

 August, and again on the 26th of September. A few days later a 

 pair was also observed at the same place, but from that date, as far 

 as I am able to ascertain, they have deserted Hertfordshire. Mr. 

 James H. Tuke, of Hitchin, writes that in a garden near that town, 

 where hawfinches generally abound, not one had been seen during 

 the autumn and winter of 1879. 



The Crossbill {Loxia curvirostra).-^K large flock of these very 

 peculiar biids frequented the Gorhambury woods near St. Albans, 

 in the early part of 1879. They were extremely tame, and were 

 caught with ease by the use of bird-lime. I am informed that 

 two of them were successfully kept in captivity for several 

 months. The tameness of the crossbill appears to be one of its 

 leading characteristics. Mr. Solly informs me that some years ago 

 they were abundant at Serge Hill, and that on that occasion he 

 succeeded in catching them, without the least diificully, by the use 

 of a noose fastened to the end of a fishing-rod. The crossbill lives 

 principally on seeds contained in fircones. The extraordinary 

 formation of its beak is thus referred to by the Rev. C. A. Johns : '^' 

 " The beak of the crossbill is a perfect implement always at its 

 owner's command, faultless alike in design and execution, and 

 exquisitely adapted to its work, not an easy one, in performing by 

 a single process the office of splitting, opening, and securing the 

 contents of a fir-cone ; and he must be a bold man who could 

 venture to suggest an improvement in its mechanism." 



The Eook {Conms frnrjilegus). — Mr. Sydney Humbert repoi-ts 

 that rooks commenced building in the Grove Park about the 28th 

 of Februaiy. They are reported, by Mr. R. T. Andiews, to have 

 commenced near Hertford on the 1st of March, and at Ware, by 

 Mr. E,. B. Croft, on the 8th. At Odsey Grange they commenced 

 work about the 26th of February, and young birds, fully fledged, 

 were observed on the 3rd of May. Respecting the habits of rooks in 

 foggy weather, Mr. H. G. Fordham writes as follows: "December 

 12th, 1878. — A very foggy day. Eooks belongiug to the Odsey 

 Gi'ange rookery roosted here all night. During the winter months 

 they rarely or never roost in their nest-trees ; they usually assemble 

 about sunset and fly off to larger woods. It appears, however, 



* ' British Birds in their Haunts,' p. 231. 



