THE HAWFINCH IN MIDDLESEX. 33 



be syllabled as pit, pit, pit, often repeated, but occasionally the 

 call note, a peculiar prolonged whistle, was to be heard. 



We noticed one nest in the top of a blackthorn at a height 

 of fourteen or fifteen feet, and on climbing up to examine it I 

 found it contained five eggs of a dull light olive-grey, with a 

 few bold spots of deep blackish olive and some thick streaks 

 of light purplish-grey. The nest was cup-shaped internally, 

 but rather shallow and very lightly made. It was constructed 

 externally of small twigs (partly interlaced), fine fibrous roots > 

 and strips cf the inner bark of some tree, with some horse- 

 hair neatly worked in as a lining. 



On May 18th, 1888, I examined a similar nest at nearly 

 the same height in the fork of a hawthorn in a neighbouring 

 wood. This nest was even more slightly made than the one 

 just described and was lined with fine fibrous roots without 

 any horsehair. It contained four eggs similar to those des- 

 cribed. On May 15th in that year, however, I found another 

 nest in the same wood, placed in the fork of a small mountain 

 ash at a height of about seven feet. This was a most unusually 

 bulky nest, being constructed of twigs, roots, and a good deal 

 of dry grass, lined with finer roots and grass. It contained 

 two eggs. 



Some nests in these woods have been placed at a rather 

 greater height in small oak trees, generally in the fork of a 

 more or less horizontal branch — but I consider a thick thorn 

 bush to be the most usual site in this locality. In the winter 

 it undoubtedly wanders, either from here or some other haunt, 

 as examples have been taken at that season in various parts 

 of Middlesex. 



The additions to the Zoological Society's Gardens during the early part of 

 March included a Lesser Kestrel (Tinnunculus cenchris), captured at sea, pre- 

 sented by Mr. A. J. Leith ; a Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus), 

 British, presented by Mr. G. Smith ; a Slender-billed Cockatoo (Licmctis 

 teniurostris), from Australia, presented by Mr. John J. Sapp ; a Laughing 

 Kingfisher {Dacelo gigantea), from Australia, presented by Mrs. Hillier ; a 

 Hawfinch (Coccothraustes vulgaris), British, presented by Mr. C. Bates ; and 

 two Black Swans (Cygnus atratus, $ and ?), from Australia, purchased. 



