532 FRINGILLID A. 
even in very considerable numbers in many different lo- 
calities, and to be resident there the whole of the year. 
One of the best of the recently published accounts of 
this bird is in the first volume of the Magazine of Zoology 
and Botany.~ Mr. Henry Doubleday, the author of the 
paper, residing at Epping, within a short distance of Epping 
Forest, one of the localities in which these birds abound, 
says, ‘I have for some years past given close attention to 
their habits, and I can safely assert, that they are perma- 
nent residents, nor can I perceive any addition to their num- 
bers by the arrival of foreigners at any period of the year. 
‘“‘' Their extreme shyness has no doubt contributed to 
keep us in ignorance of their habits and economy ; in this 
trait they exceed any land bird with which I am ac- 
quainted, and in open places it is almost impossible to ap- 
proach them within gun-shot. Their principal food here 
appears to be the seed of the Hornbeam, (Carpinus betulus, 
Linn.) which is the prevailing species of tree in Epping 
Forest; they also feed on the kernels of the haws, plum 
stones, laurel berries, &c., and in summer make great havoc 
amongst green peas in gardens in the vicinity of the forest.” 
“‘ About the middle of April they pair, and in a week or 
two commence nidification. The situation of the nest is 
various; but is most commonly placed in an old scrubby 
whitethorn bush, often in a very exposed situation; they 
also frequently build on the horizontal arms of large oaks, 
the heads of pollard hornbeams, in hollies, and occasionally 
in fir trees in plantations; the elevation at which the nest 
is placed varying from five to twenty-five or thirty feet. 
The most correct description of the nest which I have seen 
is in Latham’s Synopsis. It is there said to be composed 
of the dead twigs of oak, honeysuckle, &c. intermixed 
with pieces of grey lichen; the quantity of this last ma- 
