184 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



on Surrey commons, but never saw its nest in any 

 part of Yorkshire, where it undoubtedly breeds. 

 A friend of mine has found its nest in the 

 neighbourhood of Bedale. It is very common in 

 some parts of Kent, where as many as four 

 nests in one orchard have been found at the 

 same time. 



Materials. Twigs, fibrous roots, and grass, 

 mixed with lichens, and lined internally with fine 

 fibrous roots, grass, and hair ; somewhat loosely 

 constructed. 



Egg 8 - Four to six, pale olive-green, varying to 

 pale reddish-brown, or greenish-grey, spotted with 

 blackish-brown, and irregularly streaked with dusky- 

 grey. Size about .95 by .75 in. (See Plate II.) 



Time. May, although nests may sometimes 

 be found containing young ones as late as the end 

 of August. 



Remarks. Resident, although its numbers are 

 increased in winter by Continental arrivals. Notes : 

 call, rendered by Bechstein as an unpleasant its zip, 

 uttered incessantly ; song, a light jingle, with 

 some clearer, shrill, and harsh notes like irrr. Local 

 and other names : Grosbeak Haw, Grosbeak, Com- 

 mon Grosbeak, Black - throated Grosbeak. Sits 

 closely. This species would be much commoner 

 in the British Isles were it not for the fact that 

 it has a fatal weakness for green peas and is 

 destroyed in considerable numbers by gardeners 

 in defence of their property. 



HEDGE SPARROW. See SPARROW, HEDGE. 



