HA WFINCH GOLDFINCH. 39 



HAWFINCH (Coccothraustes vulgaris). 



Resident. Decidedly local, but occurring in most counties ; 

 rarer in Wales, the West and the North ; rare in Ireland. 



Haunts. Well-wooded districts ; seldom seen near human 

 habitations. 



Plumage. Lores, throat, and line round base of bill black. 

 Crown and cheeks reddish brown. Nape ash-grey. Back dark 

 reddish brown. Wings bluish black. Median coverts white, 

 conspicuous in flight ; under parts light purplish red, fading 

 into white on under tail-coverts, noticeable in flight. Bill 

 blackish at tip, lead-colour towards base ; very massive. Eye 

 white. Legs flesh-colour. Length 7 in. Female, duller 

 throughout, and white areas more dingy. Young, no black on 

 throat or grey on nape ; head yellower ; under parts paler ; 

 upper parts more or less mottled ; breast and flanks barred 

 with dark brown. 



Language. Song, rather like the last, but inferior to it. It 

 is usually a silent bird. Call- note, a sharp clicking sound like 

 " sit " three or four times repeated. 



Habits. Being very shy it seems rarer than it really is. 

 Flight rapid and undulating. Sociable in winter. 



Food. Chiefly seeds and berries of many kinds ; sometimes 

 caterpillars and insects. 



Nest. May. One brood. 



Site. In thick hedge or tree in a wood. 



Materials. Twigs, stalks, roots, and lichens, lined with fine 

 roots, grass, and some hair. In form rather like the Bull- 

 finch's, but flatter and larger. 



Eggs. Four to six. Pale bluish green, spotted and streaked 

 with dark olive-brown, and faint grey underlying. 



Subfamily FEINGILLIN'^. 



GOLDFINCH (Carduelis elegans). 



Resident, but intermigratory in winter. Pretty generally 

 distributed, but less abundant than formerly. 



Haunts. Woods, plantations, gardens, orchards, and waste 

 lands. 



Plumage. Back of head, nape, and region round base of 

 bill black. Forehead and throat blood-red. Cheeks, fore part 

 of neck, and under parts white. Back dark brown. Wings 

 variegated with black, white, and yellow. Tail black, tipped 

 with white. Bill whitish tipped with black. Legs flesh-colour. 

 Length 5 in. Female, slightly smaller and duller. Young, no 

 black or crimson on the head, under parts brownish white. 



