HAWFINCH. 99 



This supposition was at first thought to be erroneous, for so 

 great is its shyness, that it can undoubtedly exist unsus- 

 pected in many a district, until some lucky chance reveals its 

 presence to the less watchful, or some more than usually 

 close observer detects its sly and stealthy movements which 

 ordinarily defy near approach.* 



One of the best and earliest accounts of its habits is 

 by the late Mr. Henry Doubleday, of Epping, in the ' Maga- 

 zine of Zoology and Botany' (i. p. 448). Writing in 1837, 

 he says that having for some years given close attention to 

 the habits of the species he can safely assert that it is a 

 permanent resident, and cannot perceive any addition to its 

 numbers by the arrival of foreigners at any season. In his 

 neighbourhood its principal food appears to be the seed of 

 the hornbeam (Carpinus betula), but it also feeds on the 

 kernels of haws, laurels, plums and other stone-fruits, and 

 in summer makes great havock among green pease in gar- 

 dens near the forest. 



About the middle of April the Hawfinch pairs, and in a 

 week or two begins to build. The nest is variously placed, 

 but most commonly in an old scrubby hawthorn, and is often 

 much exposed ; the horizontal arms of large oaks, the heads 

 of pollard hornbeams, hollies, and occasionally fir-trees in 

 plantations, are also chosen as a site the elevation at which 

 it is built varying from five to twenty-five or thirty feet. 

 It is composed of dead twigs, of oak especially and honey- 

 suckle, intermixed with pieces of grey lichen ; the quantity 

 of this last material differing much, but being never absent. 

 In some nests it is only very sparingly placed among the 

 twigs, in others it forms the greater part. The lining con- 

 sists of fine roots and a little hair. The whole fabric (as 

 figured at page 110) is very loosely put together, and to 

 remove it uninjured requires considerable care. 



* The Editor may frankly say that he has not half-a-dozen times had the 

 opportunity of seeing this bird at large, and never obtained more than a 

 momentary glimpse of it, sufficient to assure him as to its identity. He there- 

 fore does not hesitate to avail himself of the carefully recorded details of its 

 habits given by so trustworthy an observer as that whose account is epitomized 

 in the text. 



