HAWFINCH. 559 



subject ; and this bird is now ascertained to exist even in 

 very considerable numbers in many different localities, and 

 to be resident there the whole of the year. 



One of the best accounts of this bird is in the first 

 volume of the Magazine of Zoology and Botany. Mr. 

 Henry Doubleday, the author of the paper, residing at 

 Epping, within a short distance of Epping Forest, one of 

 the localities in which these birds abound, says, " I have 

 for some years past given close attention to their habits, 

 and I cai^ safely assert, that they are permanent residents, 

 nor can I perceive any addition to their numbers by the 

 arrival of foreigners at any period of the year* 



"Their extreme shyness has no doubt contributed to 

 keep us in ignorance of their habits and economy ; in this 

 trait they exceed any land bird with which I am acquainted, 

 and in open places it is almost impossible to approach them 

 within gun-shot. Their principal food here appears to be 

 the seed of the Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus, Linn.), which 

 is the prevailing species of tree in Epping Forest ; they 

 also feed on the kernels of the haws, plum stones, laurel 

 berries, &c., and in summer make great havoc amongst 

 green peas in gardens in the vicinity of the forest. 



" About the middle of April they pair, and in a week or 

 two commence nidification. The situation of the nest is 

 various ; but is most commonly placed in an old scrubby 

 whitethorn bush, often in a very exposed situation ; they 

 also frequently build on the horizontal arms of large oaks, 

 the heads of pollard hornbeams, in hollies, and occasionally 

 in fir trees in plantations ; the elevation at which the nest 

 is placed varying from five to twenty-five or thirty feet. 

 The most correct description of the nest which I have seen 

 is in Latham's Synopsis. It is there said to be composed 

 of the dead twigs of oak, honeysuckle, &c., intermixed 

 with pieces of grey lichen ; the quantity of this last ma- 



