The Greenfinch 



the bird and very pale blue, spotted, especially towards the 

 larger end, with pale rust-red spots. During the summer 

 large numbers of grubs and caterpillars are consumed in 

 addition to the usual seeds ; the young are fed by regurgita- 

 tion. The call-note is a long drawn-out " tsweer," and is 

 uttered with monotonous frequency during the spring and 

 summer months, but it has also a very pretty warbling song 

 full of little trills and modulations which it utters when sitting 

 on a branch or when courting its mate with drooping wings 

 and outspread tail, and every feather on its body quivering 

 with excitement and passion. 



The male has the upper parts olive green, rather yellower 

 on the rump and forehead. There is a golden-yellow eye- 

 stripe. The wing feathers are dark brown with bright 

 yellow outer margins. Tail feathers, except the central 

 pair, which are black, yellow at their base with black tips. 

 Under parts greenish yellow, rather darker on the flanks. 

 .The females are much duller than the males and very 

 brown on the upper parts in winter. The young are 

 brownish yellow, streaked on the breast with darker brown. 

 The males do not acquire their full plumage till their 

 second year. Length 6 in. ; wing 3 5 in. ; but some examples 

 are much smaller. 



THE HAWFINCH 



Coccothraustes vulgaris, Pallas 



This fine and handsome species, whose appearance is 

 only marred by the excessive size of its beaky is by no 



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