THE HAWFINCH _ 265 



best to convey any idea of the destruction that has taken 

 place. Where the birds have been, nothing remains but 

 the stringy portion of the pods of his precious " Marrer 

 fats." 



There is enormous power in the bill of the Hawfinch, 

 when the size of the bird is considered. The pea-pod is 

 simply run through the bill, and the contents are 

 squeezed out in a state of green pulp and swallowed. 



" Varmints I call 'em, an' nothin' else," is the remark 

 my old friend makes, as he goes towards the tool-house 

 and takes from a shelf a hen Hawfinch and two young 

 ones, the former probably the mother of some of the 

 birds that are about, if not, indeed, of the whole brood, 

 her plumage showing that she has been sitting. 



" People wants me to git 'em full-feathered old birds 

 for stuffin', but bless ye, ye might as well try to ketch 

 weasels asleep. A cock Hawfinch is about one o' the 

 most artful customers as I knows on. The only time to 

 get a clip at 'em is in winter, under the plum and 

 damson trees. They gits there after the stones, any 

 amount o' stones lays jest under the ground, an' they 

 picks 'em out an' cracks them easy. I gits plenty o' 

 young ones when peas are about the old ones lets 'em 

 come, but they take precious good care they don't come 

 off the tops o' the trees themselves afore they knows 

 there ain't nobody about. Some says they're scarce 

 birds. I knows they ain't leastways not when my peas 

 are ready to gather." 



The Hawfinch is seven inches in length and has a 

 thick head, short tail, and very strong bill. Crown 

 and cheeks cinnamon brown, neck greyish, mantle 

 chestnut. There is a black patch on the throat, the 

 base of the bill, and the eye, and a white patch on the 



