84 BIRDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



Yellowhammers in winter. The Greenfinch is an 

 amusing bird in confinement, and is easily tamed. 

 A pair in my aviary, which were captured in the 

 autumn, built a nest the following spring, and laid ; 

 but unfortunately, before the eggs could be hatched, 

 they were accidentally broken. 



HAWFINCH, Fringilla coccothraustes. There are 

 many birds, which in some years are numerous, and 

 in others comparatively scarce, owing probably, 

 amongst other causes, to the plenitude or scarcity 

 of their food, insects or seeds, as the case may be. 

 The Hawfinch is one of these. Formerly this bird 

 was looked upon as an occasional visitant rather 

 than as a resident, and when, perchance, a nest was 

 discovered, the fact was generally recorded as of 

 unusual occurrence. Within the last few years, 

 however, this species has been perceptibly in- 

 creasing, and I have received notices of its appear- 

 ance in many parts of this county. In the neigh- 

 bourhood of Kingsbury I have observed for many 

 seasons that the Hawfinch is most numerous during 

 the month of February, when there appears to be a 

 partial migration. In February, 1862, several were 

 killed in this parish, one of which I have at present 

 in my collection ; and in February, 18G4, Haw- 

 finches were unusually numerous, not only here at 

 Kingsbury, but also at Stanmore, Edgeware, Hen- 

 don, Harrow Weald, and Hampstead. At the last- 

 named place they breed annually, in the woods 



