33 



This is a common bird, and a bird of many names, 

 wMch. create a certain confusion concerning it. These 

 birds breed in large numbers on our downs, whence 

 the young are often taken and successfully reared as cage 

 birds. 



Pyrrhula vulgaris. 



Bullfinch. 



LOCAL NAME. EGG OBSERVED. 



Hooj>. May 7th, 1865. 



April 28th, 1866. 

 May 13th, 1869. 

 1870. 



This remarkably handsome bird is unfortunately shy and 

 prefers a warm sheltered country ; we have therefore very 

 few of them in this neighbourhood. Those that there are 

 are alwaj's to be found in the copses and thick hedge-rows. 



I have found that with us they pair very much earlier 

 than they are generally said to do, having often noticed 

 them in pairs in February and March. Two pairs in my 

 collection were both shot in February. 



