HAWFINCH. 167 



some numbers, it has been overlooked, having been common 

 and an annual nester in the Public Pasture for the past 

 forty years, and it has also occurred in flocks in the winter ; it 

 breeds at Brough-on-Humber, and has been observed near 

 Hedon in the nesting season. 



Coming to the North Riding, where it was but a winter 

 visitant, or an uncommon breeding species, it is noticeable that, 

 within the past ten or fifteen years, it has become much more 

 numerous ; one or two pairs nest at Castle Howard ; near 

 Bedale several broods are reared every year, and at Richmond, 

 Thirsk, and Helmsley its nest has been found. At Staithes, 

 Whitby, and Scarborough it nests sparingly, and in upper 

 Teesdale an odd pair or two have bred on the Yorkshire side 

 of the river since 1897 ; near Sedbergh, in the extreme north- 

 west, it is a scarce winter visitant, as also in Arkengarth- 

 dale and Swaledale. The increase of this bird in Cleveland 

 is very remarkable ; so recently as the year 1890 it was 

 considered rare, but at the present time it is not by any means 

 uncommon ; it occurs as a winter visitant in most places 

 in the district, and nests more or less frequently all over the 

 division, from Loftus on the south-east to Yarm on the 

 north-west, at which latter place there has been a small 

 colony for the past ten years ; it also breeds in the dales 

 on the south and south-west almost up to the moor edges, 

 as at Danby and Swainby. 



The Migration Reports do not contain any reference 

 to the Hawfinch at the Yorkshire stations, though a striking 

 feature in its increase is that, in 1902, an example was reported 

 from one of the Yorkshire lighthouses, and it would thus appear 

 that it may now be looked for as a migrant on our coast. 



The nest is usually in low situations, such as fruit trees in 

 orchards, low growing oaks, or thorn bushes ; in Wharf edale 

 Mr. E. P. Butterfield states the birds are not at all shy and 

 have to be frightened off their nests, but this is contrary to 

 the general experience, which is that they are of the shyest 

 nature and forsake their nests on the very slightest interference, 

 though in a few instances I have known them exhibit the 

 trait Mr. Butterfield refers to. 



