PASSERINE BIRDS. 141 



female, her mate merely endeavouring to lighten her labours by his company. The first eggs are laid 

 about the end of April, the second in June, and the third at the beginning of August ; they are from 

 four to six in number, and from nine to sixteen lines in length ; the shape is but slightly oval, the 

 shell thin, smooth, and of a blueish-white or silvery colour, marked more or less distinctly with light 

 red spots, which form a kind of irregular wreath at the broadest end. The female sits upon her brood 

 for about a fortnight, and is fed and tended during that time by her mate. Both parents, however, 

 combine in the care of their progeny, feeding them at first with seeds softened in their crops, and 

 afterwards with the same food in its natural state. These duties are but of short duration, the young 

 soon quit the nest to go forth alone into the world, or fly in company with other Finches ; nevertheless, 

 they rejoin their parents as soon as the latter have fulfilled their work of incubation. The Greenfinch 

 is much sought after on account of the delicacy of its flesh, but we cannot recommend it as suitable 

 for domestication, as its song is very insignificant, and its disposition so quarrelsome that it will not 

 live in peace with others of its race ; on the other hand, we must mention that few species adapt 

 themselves so readily to life in a cage. 



THE HAWFINCH. 



The Hawfinch ( Coccothraustes vulgaris) is easily distinguishable from the true Finches on account 

 of the unusual heaviness of its shape : its length is seven inches, and breadth across the wings twelve 

 inches ; its tail two and a half inches long, and the wing three and three-quarter inches from the 

 shoulder to the tip. The female is somewhat smaller. The plumage is greyish yellow upon the fore- 

 part of the head, and brownish yellow at the back and on the cheeks ; the neck and throat ash-grey, 

 the back light brown ; the lower part of the body brownish grey, and the throat black ; the wings 

 black, with a white spot in their centre ; the beak a dark blue in winter, and in summer grey, some- 

 what darker towards the tip. The eye is light grey, the foot light red. In the female all these 

 colours are paler, and the black patch upon the diroat smaller than in the male. In the young birds 

 the feathers on the head are greyish yellow, those on the nape of the neck dirty brownish yellow, the 

 back greyish brown, the lower part of the body greyish white, shading into reddish grey upon the 

 throat and sides, and marked with blackish brown. The middle tail-feathers are very peculiar, 

 becoming broader towards their ends, which are slightly forked. 



These birds inhabit all the temperate portions of Europe and Asia, and are found in Sweden, 

 also in the southern and western parts of Russia, and are amongst the summer visitors to Siberia. 

 They fly about in large flocks, often reaching Algiers and Morocco in the course of their migrations ; 

 and generally prefer such mountainous or hilly countries as are well wooded, occasionally frequenting 

 fruit and vegetable gardens. During the summer each little pair settles in a retired spot, selecting 

 such districts as are at no great distance from a cherry orchard, and passing the night perched close 

 together upon the twigs of some thickly-foliaged tree. The Hawfinch, as its shape would lead us to 

 suppose, is very heavy and inactive, every change of place being apparently the subject of lengthy 

 consideration ; even if alarmed, it only flies a few paces, immediately returning to the same spot ; its 

 movements among the branches are rather more active, but its little legs seem hardly able to support 

 its body when upon the ground. Its flight is swift, undulatory, and noisy, owing to the rapid motion 

 of its wings ; it usually hovers before perching. Despite the clumsy appearance of this bird, it is 

 extremely cunning and prudent, easily distinguishing a friend from a foe, and taking every precaution 

 for its own safety. At the approach of danger it conceals itself so artfully among the foliage as to 

 render discovery almost impossible ; at other times it will perch on the topmost branches in order to 

 observe the movements of an enemy — indeed, we ourselves endeavoured some years ago to capture 

 one of these wary little creatures with the help of some favourite seed, but eight days passed before we 



