GOLDFINCH. 79 
102. HAWFINCH—(Coccothraustes vulgaris). 
Common Grosbeak, Haw Grosbeak.—A bird which seems to 
occur but sparingly in our island, and for long, supposed to be 
merely a winter visitor. It is not uncommon about Epping Forest, 
and has been found nearer London, and in many of the Southern 
counties. Mr. Doubleday has given the best account of its habits 
generally, as well as of its nest and eggs. It seems to have no 
peculiar situation for its nest preferred to all others, but builds 
indiscriminately int trees or bushes, and at various heights from 
the ground. ‘The nest is said to be made of twigs, “with fibrous 
roots and grey lichens laid flat on them ;” the whole structure 
being such as to remind one of the Ring-dove’s flat platform of a 
nest. The eggs “vary from four to six, and are of a pale olive- 
green, spotted with black, and streaked with dusky grey.” Mr. 
Doubleday adds, that some are much less marked than others. 
A few, indeed, with no marks at all on the green ground-colour. 
—Fig. 9, plate IV. 
103. GOLDFINCH—(Carduelis elegans). 
Thistle-Finch, Gold-spink, Grey Kate, or Pate (the young), 
Proud Tailor, Goldie, King Harry Red-cap.—This beautiful little 
bird is, I fear, one of those which are much less common in 
many districts than used to be the case inmy younger days. It 
is much sought after for keeping in cages, and is caught for that 
purpose in numbers by the professional bird-catchers. It builds 
a beautifully neat and pretty nest ; sometimes in a bush or ever- 
green, often in the fork of an apple or other fruit-tree, and more 
rarely ina hedge. It is formed of moss, fir-needles, green bents, 
wool, thistle-down, willow-down, feathers, hairs, &c., according 
to the choice afforded by the locality of the nest. The eggs are 
four or five in number, are bluish white or pale grey, spotted 
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