Seeds and Sowers 271 



peas in a garden with almost stupefying speed 

 and thoroughness, if once they turn their attention 

 to it. On the other hand, they pick up large 

 quantities of caterpillars when they have young, in 

 spite of the apparent awkwardness of their beak 

 for this more delicate task ; and it mainly depends 

 on their local habits whether the net result of their 

 year's work is beneficial or harmful. 



Unfortunately there is hardly room for doubt 



in the case of their cousins the bullfinches. The 



beak of the bullfinch is hooked and fashioned 



delicately, for all its power ; it is turned to subtle 



use of picking and pulling, as well as to sheer 



crushing. It is the bullfinch more than any other 



bird which shells out the close-packed seeds from 



the red rose-hips hanging in the winter hedges ; 



and in the same way it attacks the buds of many 



garden fruit trees for the sake, apparently, of the 



tender heart. Examination of the crops of many 



birds in Kent has shown that this only is the part 



consumed ; and there is no proof that the bullfinch 



tears fruit-buds in search of grubs hidden within 



them, as is urged in defence of the great tit. Once the 



autumn feast on the soft berries is over, the thrushes 



and their kindred mainly feed on worms, snails, or 



insects, except when hard frost compels them to 



take to the hawthorn and holly boughs. But 



finches are not formed to hunt in fields for worms, 



or in ditches for snails ; and when the bullfinch 



has ripped out all the last of the old year's crop 



of rose-hips, it turns in early spring to the buds 



in the fruit gardens. It is one significant illus- 



