124 NOTES ON THE HAWFINCH. 
may be detected by its sharp, shrill note at the approach of danger, similar 
to click, click, click. To get within gunshot of it requires much caution. I 
have invariably noticed, when I have seen the bird in small flocks, one of 
them will perch itself on the extreme top of the highest tree, and there 
act as sentry, keeping a sharp look out. If the flock be once disturbed it 
is a chance if you get near it again. 
I am under the impression the Hawfinch remains here all the year. 
I have upon two occasions found its nest upon the Malvern Hills, in the 
fork of hawthorn bushes, about six to eight feet from the ground, and on 
another occasion at Malvern Wells, in an old apple tree, where, not being 
disturbed, it reared four young birds, which I saw a few days after flitting 
about the trees in the orchard. In each ‘case the nest was very carelessly 
built, and extremely shallow ; it seemed scarcely deep enough to contain 
the bird. It is some years since, while living in Essex, near Bishop 
Stortford, on the borders of Takeley Forest, that my attention was first 
drawn to the Hawfinch. It used to visit a fir plantation regularly every 
year in the month of February. I have seen there from twenty to thirty 
in a flock. It never seemed to stay longer than a week or so. I once, to 
my great delight, it being my first year of collecting bird’s eggs, found in 
the forest a nest containing four eggs. On one or two occasions I have 
dissected the stomach of these birds. In one killed in December, 1878, I 
found remains of hollyberries, apple, and arbutus; in another, in February 
last, there were apple and seeds of, I think, the Scotch fir, with four 
hawthorn seeds. I hope other correspondents interested in this beautiful 
bird will communicate their observations.—W. Hpwarps, Malvern. 
METEOROLOGY OF THE MIDLANDS. 
THE WEATHER OF MARCH, 1879. 
BY W. JEROME HARRISON, F.G.S5. 
March commenced pleasantly, with dry weather, a rather high 
barometer, and south-westerly winds. This state of things con- 
tinued till the 14th, when a radical change took place, the barometer 
falling half-an-inch in twenty-four hours, and wind shifting to the east. 
Snow fell to the depth of one or two inches. A rapid recovery, however, 
took place, and there were a few glimpses of sunshine between the 18th 
and 20th. From the 22nd to the 28th there were strong north-east 
winds, extremely cold and dry, very bitter and trying, bearing out the 
old adage that east winds are “‘ neither good for man nor beast.” Snow 
fell at intervals from the 25th to the 28th. The last three days of the 
month were warmer with westerly winds. 
March was decidedlya dry month. At the majority of stations the 
total fall did not amount to oneinch. The temperature was about 1} 
degrees below the average. There was a thunderstorm near Ludlow on 
the 14th ; lunar halos were seen at Orleton on the 5th and 30th; at 
Loughborough, 4th and 30th; Stokesay, 31st; Leicester, 30th. The 
ploughed fields were in good condition for sowing, the frost having 
reduced the clods to powder; but all gardening operations were very 
backward. The grass looked brown, and no buds had burst in the 
hedgerows at the end of the month. At More Rectory blackbirds com- 
menced whistling on the 9th, and wood-pigeons to coo on the 11th, 
stone-curlews returned very early in the month; at Shifnal rooks began 
to build on 6th,and ringdoves’ coo heard on 17th; snowdrops full out 
on 4th, crocuses 12th, apricot blossoms 29th, celandine on 30th. At 
Coventry the note of the little chiff-chaff was heard on the 30th. At 
Cheltenham bats were seen flying on evening of 19th. 
