FKIXGILLID.E. 61 



the North and East. AVhen they have paired in the spring 

 they scatter over our hedges and plantations, and their 

 lively presence lends an attraction to rural life. 



Goldfinch. Carduelis elegans, Stephens. 



[Gool Finch, Blossom-Bird: DevJ] 



Eesident, formerly numerous, but now rather scarce in most localities, 

 except in autumn. Breeds. 



The decrease in numbers of this gay and attractive Finch is to be greatly 

 regretted, l^ot so many years ago hardly a garden or orchard wanted in 

 the spring a pair of Goldfinches and their beautifully constructed nest ; 

 but the ceaseless persecution of bird-catchers, combined with the better 

 cultivation of the land, causing the favourite plants upon the seeds of 

 which it feeds, such as the groundsel, ragwort, and thistle, to have 

 diminished in quantity, has made it quite a rare event to see an example 

 of this once abundant bird. Like many other small birds, as the period 

 of migration draws near, the Goldfinch begins to shift its quarters and 

 moves in flocks along the coast from west to east until it reaches the 

 narrow seas, and finds a short passage across to the opposite coast. 

 This is the time when bird-catchers are on the look-out for it, and in some 

 favourite localities will sometimes catch scores of dozens in a single 

 morning. A large proportion of the miserable little captives perish the 

 first and second days after they are taken, refusing to feed, and beating 

 themselves to death against the wires of their cages. 



The Goldfinch is usually met with on canal and railway embankments, 

 in marshes, on commons, and other open spots where ragwort and thistles 

 abound. It has been so constantly trapped by bird-catchers near Exeter 

 that it is now seldom seen in that neighbourhood. Great numbers perished in 

 the severe winters experienced at intervals during the last forty-five years. 

 "NVe remember seeing many caught in the snow of March 1S45, near 

 Topsham, and again in February 1853, the birds being too weak to 

 escape. 



Bird-catchers still take a good many near Exniouth and Littleham early 

 in October, when there appears lo be a large influx into Devonshire. The 

 Goldfinch is fairly numerous at Kingsbridge, though scarcer than it was 

 fifty years ago, although there are no bird-catchers in that neighbour- 

 hood, the decrease in numbers being probably owing to the better cultiva- 

 tion of the land, which has rendered thistles &c. less abundant than formerly 

 (H. P. N. and E. A. S. E., MS. Notes). Wc found it plentiful in Octobe'r 

 1873, under the northern slopes of Dartmoor {^[. A. 31., Zool. 1874, 

 p. 3825). 'Slv. G. B. Corbin thought it had increased again in South 

 Devon in ls77(Zool. 1877, p. 444). Mr. W, Crossing informed us in 

 188!) that he had not seen any for five or six years near South Brent. It 

 was formerly a very common bird in North Devon, but has much do- 

 creased in numbers there also. 



