296 BIRDS OF THE DISTRICT. 
Cotile riparia. Sanp-Makrtin. 
*‘An abundant summer visitor” to Wirral (Br. p. 9) and all 
parts of the district suited to its habits. 
In the new Rock Cutting of the Manchester Ship Canal at 
Ince about sixty pairs nested in 1892 for the first time [R.N.] 
* Ligurinus chloris. GREENFINCH. 
An abundant resident. 
“Abundant in summer” in Wirral. ‘‘I see a flock occasionally 
only in winter, and think the majority must go elsewhere for 
this season.” (Br. p. 8.) 
** Coccothraustes vulgaris. Hawrincn. 
A not uncommon resident in West Cheshire, and, I think, 
increasing in numbers: more frequent in the winter months, 
but breeding in several localities, e.g. on the Eaton estate 
[H.G.] and at Saighton [R.J.S.], Mollington, Ledsham, and 
Ince [R.N.] Very shy in the breeding season [H.G.] Common 
at Ashton Hayes among yew trees [G.W.H ] 
A young bird taken at Ledsham lived for eighteen months on 
little else than dry peas |R.N.] 
On November 3oth, 1891, an adult male was found ina dying 
condition by Mr. Cecit Smiru, Blacon. Its plumage was in 
splendid order, but it was very thin and appeared, from fost- 
mortem examination, to have died of tuberculosis [R N.] 
Not included in BRocKHOLES list. 
Mr. Wo try Dop writes to me from Edge Hall: ‘‘ They have 
bred here for more than twenty years, ever since I came to live 
here I suspect they breed on the high trees, but I have never 
looked for their nest. They destroy many peas in the pod, but 
the most remarkable evidence of their presence is beneath the 
yew trees. When the berries get nearly ripe, about September, 
the ground beneath them becomes covered with small twigs 
with one or two unripe berries on each. I used to think it was 
done by Squirrels, but I have now become certain it is by 
Hawfinches. If I get under the tree stealthily I can generally 
hear their shrill wee chirp. There are two large yew trees under 
which the twigs are strewn so thick that I have had more than a 
wheelbarrowful swept up at once, and in a fortnight they will be 
as thick again.” 
In our Welsh counties it appears to be more rare. Noted 
some years ago near Llandudno [H.T.]; and one was shot at 
Coed Coch [A.O.W., author. Mrs. LLoyp-Wynn’s butler]. Not 
observed by Mr. A. O. WALKER at Colwyn Bay, or by Mr. W. 
H. Heaton at Denbigh; but Mr. Joun BARNaRD has known 
of them being shot at Llandyrnog, and himself shot a young 
bird in 1892. One was caught at Wrexham in 1890 [A.D.] 
