THE CHAFFINCH 
FRINGILLA C4:LEBS 
LocaL names in surrounding counties: “ Karfinch ” 
(Kent). 
Status IN British AviraAunA: A common resident in 
all suitable districts, its numbers increased in autumn 
by migrants. 
RapiaL DisTrRIBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 
Paut’s: The Chaffinch is another well-known and widely 
distributed species within the Metropolitan area. It 
breeds more or less regularly as near to the central districts 
as Regent’s Park (certainly in the Botanical Gardens, and 
probably in the Zoological Gardens) and Battersea Park, 
but closer in it can only be classed as an irregular winter 
visitor. As the suburbs become more rural the Chaf- 
finch, of course, becomes increasingly common. It is a 
common bird in the Streatham, Wimbledon, Richmond, 
and Bushey districts, and thence passing northwards it 
is of general occurrence about Hounslow, Kew, Chis- 
wick, Gunnersbury, Ealing, Osterley, Hanwell, ‘Twyford, 
Wembley, Harlesden, Cricklewood, Willesden, Kilburn, 
Hampstead, Highgate, Wanstead, southwards to Green- 
wich, Brockley, Dulwich, and Norwood. ‘Throughout 
the radius of the more outlying suburbs the Chaffinch is, 
if anything, still more numerous and generally dispersed. 
In winter its numbers seem to be perceptibly increased 
in some districts by migrants, and at this season it visits 
various parts of the more central area. I have seen this 
species in winter as close to St. Paul’s as Lincoln’s Inn, 
and very probably it occasionally visits many of the larger 
squares. I can also record it then from St. James’s Park, 
the Green Park, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace grounds, 
Holland Park, Peckham Rye, Clapham Common, and 
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