THE BIRDS OF HAMPSTEAD, 91 



on the seeds of the hornbeam, sycamore, and maple, and visits the gardens in 

 search of green peas, of which the young birds are very fond. 



Greenfinch, Coccothraustes chloris. Not very numerous, but may be seen flocking 

 with Sparrows in the winter, occasionally coming into the gardens in spring and 

 summer. 



Goldfinch, Carduelis elegans. Can hardly be called a resident now, though 

 formerly no doubt it was so. For this the London bird-catchers are much to 

 blame. It is now most often seen when on migration in little parties in the 

 autumn. 



Siskin, Carduelis spinus. A flock was seen in autumn near Caen Wood, feeding 

 on the seeds of an alder, and a pair had a nest there in the summer of 1853. 

 On August 9, 187 1, a bird-catcher took one without a call-bird in Caen Wood. 

 It must be considered a spring and autumn visitor rather than a resident, and 

 its nesting here is very exceptional. 



Linnet, Linota cannabina. In a Linnet's nest on Hampstead Heath two eggs of 

 the Cuckoo were found. 



Bullfinch, Pyrrhula europoea. The custom of laying the hedges has almost 

 driven the Bullfinch away, but it may still occasionally be seen on the outskirts 

 of the woods. A pair had a nest one year in a summer-house belonging to 

 Lord Mansfield, and brought up the young. 



Starling, Sturnus vulgaris. Next to the Sparrow perhaps the commonest bird 

 in the district, nesting under eaves and in holes of decayed trees. Numbers 

 are netted in autumn by the London bird-catchers for the use of members of 

 the gun clubs who profess to find sport in shooting them from traps. 



Rook, Corvus frugilegus. There were at one time three rookeries at Hampstead. 

 In 1880 only two, and these much reduced in numbers; but a new one was 

 commenced that year in the Hampstead Road at Chalk Farm. In 1880, near 

 the rookery by St. Stephen's Church, a notice-board was put up on one of 

 the trees stating that the adjoining house was to let. All the Rooks then 

 deserted the place but one pair which remained and built a nest, but others 

 came from the upper rookery and pulled the nest to pieces. In 1883 the 

 old one at North End still flourished. In 1887 there were eight nests in the 

 rookery at Chalk Farm. 



Carrion Crow, Corvus corone. For more than fifty years a pair of these birds 

 have bred at Mr. Basil W^ood's at Hillfield, and were still there in 1887. 



Jackdaw, Corvus monedula. Frequenting the church towers and old trees on the 

 Roslyn Park Estate. Often seen in company with Rooks. 



Magpie, Pica rustica. For some years there was a Magpie's nest in a tree that no 

 boy could cHmb, by Mr. Gurney Hoare's house at the Grove, but the birds 



