BIRDS OF GUERNSEY. 75 



Ansted in his list, but no letters are given marking 

 the general distribution over the Islands, probably 

 because it is so generally spread over them. The 

 local Guernsey-French name is " Grosbec," for 

 which see Metivier's ' Dictionary.' 



66. HAWFINCH. Coccothraustes vulgaris, Pallas. 

 French, "Grosbec." The Hawfinch or Grosbeak, 

 as it is occasionally called, is by no means common 

 in Guernsey, and I have never seen it there myself, 

 but I have a skin of one killed in the Catel Parish 

 in December, 1878 ; and Mi\ MacCulloch informs 

 me it occasionally visits that Island in autumn, but 

 in consequence of its shy and retiring habits it has 

 probably been occasionally overlooked, and escaped 

 the notice of the numerous gunners to whom it 

 would otherwise have more frequently fallen a 

 victim. The bird-stuffer and carpenter inAlderney 

 had one spread out on a board and hung up behind 

 his door, which had been shot by his friend who 

 shot the Greenland Falcon, in the winter of 1876 

 and 1877, somewhere about Christmas. I know no 

 instance of its remaining to breed in the Islands, 

 though it may occasionally do so in Guernsey, as 

 there are many places suited to it, and in which it 

 might well make its nest without being observed. 

 As it seems increasing in numbers throughout 

 England, it is by no means improbable that it will 

 visit the Channel Islands more frequently. 



