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THE HAWFINCH. 

 (Coccothraustes vulgaris.) 



THIS is not a true migrant, for it is only in severe winters 

 that it seeks a warmer climate. In autumn it comes 

 from the hills, down into the plain, to the neighbour- 

 hood of human habitations, where it leads a restless life. 

 It is timid, and easily startled ; while flying it utters its 

 shrill cry " sen, sen, sen." The striking bulk of its 

 beak indicates the strength it has to use in obtaining its 

 food ; and it is so, for the kernels of the hardest cherry 

 stones are its favourite dainty. 



It flies in small flocks, and when these light on a cherry 

 tree, they are quite quiet, not a sound is heard, except 

 the cracking of the hard shells by the strong bills, which 

 are specially formed for the work. The cherry stone lies 

 in the low-er mandible, the upper one being ribbed and 

 so perfectly adapted for cracking the stone. This bird 

 breaks with ease a fruit stone, which a full-grown man 

 can only crush with the heavy pressure of his boot heel. 

 Towards spring, when there are no more fruit stones to 

 be found, it attacks and destroys the young leaf buds. 



This bird is not very commonly found in Hungary. 



The number of Hawfinches has been steadily increas- 

 ing in England of late years. This is probably due to 

 Bird Protection, which is so much more enforced than 

 it used to be. The young are fed chiefly on caterpillars, 

 but unfortunately they soon take to eating peas, which 

 brings them into bad repute with gardeners, and 

 numbers of young birds are shot and buried in gardens 



