264 THE HAWFINCH 



where peas are grown. It is pleasant, on the other 

 hand, to watch them amongst the wild plums and sloes 

 and crab-trees in one of of our old hedgerows, but is not 

 an easy matter as they are so suspicious. In districts 

 where many peas are grown for the market, these birds 

 are a perfect plague. In Germany this bird is called 

 Kernbeisser (kernel biter) because of the ease with which 

 it cracks cherry stones with its powerful bill. With us 

 it eats the seeds of the horn-beam and other trees, 

 beechmast, haws, etc. 



Only one brood is raised in a season, but if the first 

 nest is meddled with, another one is made. 



In " Within an Hour of London Town" the writer 

 interviews a gardener on the subject of Hawfinches. 

 We give it here as it stands. 



" What do I want with the gun? Hawfinches; they 

 hawfinches in my peas ! " he grunts. 



As he leaves the tool-house I quietly follow, and place 

 myself with him behind a low faggot-stack which stands 

 in a line with the peas. 



"Jest hear 'em! ain't it cruel!" he whispers. " I 

 hope the whole roost of 'em may git in a lump so that 

 I ken blow 'em to rags an' tatters. If you didn't know 

 what it was you'd think some old cow was grindin' up 

 them peas. Ain't they scrunchin' of 'em ! All right 

 now, I ken see you, you grindin' varmints ! Now for 

 it! " Bang! 



Three birds fall young ones in their first plumage, 

 which has a strong likeness to that of a greenfinch. 



After picking the birds up, we examine the pea-rows. 

 There is no doubt as to the mischief the birds have done. 

 The old fellow's own expression, "grinding up," is the 



