130 THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



Brighton_, June SOtli^ 1859; it was then in the possession of 

 Mr. Prattj who had it shortly after its capture ; it \vas de- 

 scribed as being quite alone and very wild. Mr. Bond 

 believed it to be a female. Mr. Monk (Zoologist^ p. 229, s.s.) 

 states that a beautiful example was caught on April 9th, 1866, 

 at Hove ; it was also taken in a clap-net, and was in fine 

 summer plumage; it passed into his own collection. Again 

 in the 'Zoologist/ p. 119, for 1884, Mr. Bond records a 

 specimen of this bird taken near Brighton in April 1870. 

 Another is mentioned by Mr. Chase, of Edgbaston, as having 

 been obtained at Ovingdean, near Brighton, a male in perfect 

 plumage showing no signs of captivity, January 27th, 1888 

 (Zoologist, p. 108, for 1888). 



GOLDFINCH. 



Carduelis elegans. 



Although the Goldfinch was formerly very common in all 

 the open parts of the county, it has, of late years^ become 

 comparatively rare. Its favourite fare, "the thistle's downy 

 seed " or that of the common knapweed, of which it is ex- 

 ceedingly fond, are however still sufficiently abundant. It 

 formerly bred every year, in my own garden_, frequently 

 choosing a horse-chestnut on the lawn, as also a Phillyrea, 

 placing its nest between the diverging stems close to the 

 trunk, and in a particularly thick apple-tree, near the end of 

 a leafy branch, and, now and then, a lichen-covered pear, 

 building it of wool, felted together Avith the aforesaid lichen, 

 and lining it with the down of the seed of the balsam poplar, 

 a very favourite material, when it can be obtained. The nest 

 is very similar to that of the Chafiinch, but much smaller 



