GOLDFINCH— SISKIN 213 



songs of other species, though it is by no means a 

 skilled performer, and its own notes are rather monot- 

 onous. It is a lover of gardens and orchards. See 

 Plate 16, Fig. 90. 



The Hawfinch is found in nearly the whole of 

 Europe and in parts of Asia, as well as in northern 

 Africa. It is especially common in England, although 

 it contrives remarkably well to escape observation. 

 The plumage of the Hawfinch is much variegated and 

 by no means conspicuous. It closely resembles that of 

 the Chaffinch, but the Hawfinch is a larger bird — one 

 of the largest of its family. A marked character is the 

 great size of its beak, inside of which are curious crush- 

 ing-pads, used in opening the hard-shelled stones of 

 the hawthorn and other fruits of which it is very fond. 

 See Plate 14, Fig. 77. 



Perhaps the most beautiful of the Finches is the 

 European Goldfinch, whose name is derived from the 

 golden-yellow of its plumage. The sexes are coloured 

 much alike, but the young are quite different-looking, 

 being without the beautiful markings of the parents. 

 The Goldfinch is a favourite cage-bird, and as it is not 

 easy to keep in confinement, is constantly in demand 

 by fanciers. In England thousands are caught yearly 

 in nets, and so great have been the raids on their ranks 

 that in many parts of the country where they were 

 formerly abundant they have been practically exter- 

 minated. See Plate 17, Fig. 98. 



Introduced into this country in 1878, the European 

 Goldfinch is occasionally seen about New York City 

 and in other parts of the Eastern States. 



The American Goldfinch, more commonly called 



