THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 41 



the assembled flock. Hundreds were caught by the 

 birdcatchers, (Zool. 1885. p. 377). 



UAWFmCR.—Coccofhraustes vulgaris, Pall. 



A WINTER visitant, of irregular occurrence, obtained 

 as early as October, at Plymouth in 1878, but 

 chiefly noticed as a shy visitant to gardens in mid- 

 winter. It visits the neighbourhood of Kingsbridge 

 in most winters, I possess a specimen, shot near 

 Exeter, and during the winter 1889-90, Hawfinches 

 were reported all over the county, occurring singly 

 or in twos and threes, and frequenting private 

 grounds notwithstanding the mildness of the winter. 

 The Hawfinch has not yet been found breeding in 

 Devon, but in 1849, a specimen, now in the Exeter 

 Museum, was shot at Starcross, as late as the 26tli of 

 April. If the birds that visit us in winter were 

 less persecuted, it is possible that some of them 

 might remain to breed, but Mr. Gatcombe regarded 

 the Hawfinch as an uncommon bird in Devonshire. 



HOUSE 8FAUR0^Y.— Passer domesticus. (Liiiuj. 



A RESIDENT species. Professor Newton, in the 

 "fourth edition " of " Yarrell's British Birds," drew 

 attention to Mr. Brooking Rowe's statement in his 

 Catalogueof 1863, tliat the House Sparrow was absent 

 from the moorland village of Shepstor, as being 

 the sole exception to its universal distribution in 

 England known to him. It appears that, if this was 

 an exception in 1848, it is such no longer. The 



