HA W FINCH 143 



birds at a time, each in its own cage; there being generally three or four rounds. 

 An umpire and scorer are appointed, the umpire ruling out any bird of distinct 

 inferiority in tone ; ties in the number of notes have to be sung off", and the decision 

 in the final heat depends on quality when the numbers are equal. The chaffinch 

 winters in northern Africa. It is found in western Siberia, in Syria, and the 

 forest-region of Persia, and is distributed over Europe to within the Arctic Circle, 

 but ranees no higher than 62° N. in the Urals. In the south it nests in the 

 mountains, and in winter comes down to the plains in small parties. It is one of 

 the commonest birds of Germany ; but onty a few males and no females winter in 

 the eastern and north-eastern districts, though some remain the whole winter in 

 the west and south-west. A small minority of chaffinches are local migrants ; they 

 begin wandering about in small parties in September, and go on doing so until 

 November, when they are joined by others coming from the north. From the end 

 of February till the beginning of April the wanderers return to their nesting-sites. 

 Although their migratory instinct tends to keep them in company, they quarrel 

 much with each other, especially when feeding, the local birds generally con- 

 sorting together apart from the rest. The cocks arrive a fortnight before the 

 hens at the nesting-haunts, hence the name of ccelebs (bachelor) given to the 

 species by Linnaeus. 



The hawfinch group includes more strongly built finches, with 

 Hawfinch. 



very stout beaks, large heads, and comparatively short tails. The 



hawfinch (Coccothraustes vulgaris) is a denizen of forests where oaks and beeches 

 are plentiful, although it does not by any means limit its residence to such trees, 

 being often found among hawthorns or pines. Gardens and orchards likewise often 

 afford shelter to this bird. Everywhere local on the Continent, the hawfinch in 

 Germany is only found in certain districts, being abundant, for instance, in 

 Brandenburg. In the British Isles it is also very local, though of late years it has 

 greatly increased in numbers, and is by no means rare in the neighbourhood of 

 London. It has been found as far north as Banff in Scotland, and ranges to about 

 the same latitude in Sweden, while eastward it wanders as far as Lake Baikal. It 

 is resident in Greece and Asia Minor, and on migration passes into northern 

 Africa, returning to Europe in the middle of March. On the Continent, as in 

 Britain, it is a resident species, reinforced in winter by migrants from the 

 north. 



The nest is flat and shallow with a wide fringe of twigs, always containing 

 grey lichen, and lined with fine rootlets and hair. It is built, as a rule, in an old 

 tree within 25 feet of the ground. Although the hawfinch feeds its young on cater- 

 pillars, the old birds eat the kernels of stone-fruit, and all sorts of seeds and berries, 

 being particularly fond of green peas. The hawfinch does considerable damage to 

 plum and cherry orchards, eating only the stones and spoiling the fleshy part of the 

 fruit. With its powerful beak, which is proportionately stronger than that of most 

 birds, it cracks the stones quite easily. When a flock of hawfinches are plundering a 

 cherry-tree, they are quite silent about their work, nothing being heard save the 

 cracking of the stones. In spring and summer these birds eat flying insects, and 

 visit ploughed fields to pick up larvae for their young, but, as a rule, they keep out 

 of sight in the thickest foliage of the trees, being easily frightened by man. 



