THE HAWFINCH. 45 
branch of a fir, oak, or beech-tree, some fifteen to thirty feet from the ground; 
but in an orchard, an old lichen-covered apple or pear-tree is chosen. 
The nest of this bird most nearly resembles that of a Bullfinch, being very 
shallow, and always formed in a foundation of twigs; one which I found in course 
of formation, had the whole of this external structure formed of strongly spined 
interlaced twigs of hawthorn, from which all the leaves had been stripped, and 
presented a most formidable appearance; sometimes, however, the twigs are inter- 
mixed with coarse roots and dead plants, and ornamented with lichens; the nest 
itself is built of dead grasses and bents, and the lining consists of rootlets and 
hair: altogether it is so large that the Wood-Pigeon has been known to add a 
few twigs to it, and thus adapt it to its own purposes.* The eggs number from 
four to six, though five is the usual complement; they are pale bluish or buffish 
green in colour, and vary in pattern between that of the Common- and Reed- 
Buntings; the surface spots, blotches, and streaks being deep pitch brown, with 
underlying spots of lilacine grey: in size and form they correspond pretty closely 
with eggs of the Common Bunting. 
The flight of the Hawfinch is rapid and powerful, somewhat undulating when 
the bird is passing from tree to tree, but more direct when long distances are 
covered. On the wing it often utters a peculiar clicking sound, a kind of Zi, 
which may also sometimes be heard when the bird is caged. 
The food consists largely of seeds, those of the hornbeam being much relished ; 
but when feeding its young it devours insects, especially caterpillars, and probably 
buds; later in the year peas, cherry-kernels, beech-mast, yew-berries, and haws are 
eaten. In confinement sunflower-seeds, hemp, oats, beech-nuts, canary, and millet 
may be given. 
Personally I have had but little experience of the Hawfinch as a cage-bird. 
On September 14th, 1893, a birdcatcher brought me a specimen which had flown 
into his nets: he was evidently afraid to handle it, and cautioned me against 
attempting to touch it without gloves, saying that its bite was frightful and drew 
blood; however I soon had the bird in my hand and caged it; but, although I 
placed the cage on a high shelf, the Hawfinch never became tame, but so wore 
the feathers of its wings and tail by its efforts to escape, that when after a few 
weeks of captivity it died, the skin was not worth preserving. I am therefore 
convinced that the Hawfinch should either be turned into a large aviary, or be 
hand-reared. 
Speaking of a pair taken from the nest and brought to him in 1880, Lord 
* When I wrote my “Handbook of British Oology” I had not found one finished nest of the Hawfinch; 
one or two seen subsequently in Hertfordshire had already been deserted. 
