THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 39 



Tree Creepers, when shooting in the woods in N. 

 Devon. Its active movements can be studied to 

 best advantage during severe frosts, when the Tree 

 Creeper will permit of a very close inspection, 

 being absorbed in a hungry search for hybernating 

 insects. 



Fa mill/ Fringillid^. 



Subfamily Fringillin/E. 



GOLD'FINCR.—Carduelis elegans, Steph. 



A RESIDENT and partial migrant; formerly numerous 

 but of late years a scarce bird. The Exeter Bird- 

 catchers assure me that many perished in the severe 

 weather of the winter 1880-1, but there can be no 

 doubt that its decrease is chiefly due to persecution 

 at their hands. A pair of Goldfinches nested in an 

 apple tree in our garden tive years ago, and a few 

 pairs always breed in private grounds, especially 

 orchards. Mr. Rawson writes that the Goldfinch 

 was at one time a common bird at Braunton, and 

 that a few pairs still breed in that district. In July, 

 1879, the Editor observed many family parties of 

 Goldfinches, on the North Coast of Somerset and 

 Devon, especially near Lynton, and the species is 

 still numerous near Porlock in early autumn. 

 During the winter months small parties of Gold- 

 finches wander over the county in search of food, 

 but the waste lands, ujjon which they formerly 

 found an abundance of food, have generally been 

 taken into cultivation. 



