Aft IMMIGRATION OF HAWFINCHES. 367 



Jan. 26th, 1883). 1887, Sept. 3rd, an immature male shot at 

 Spurn by Mr. W. Eagle Clarke (Mig. Rep. 1887, p. 30). 1889, 

 Dec. 16th, one, a female, at sea off Scarborough (Zool. 1890, 

 p. 77). 



AN IMMIGBATION OF HAWFINCHES. 

 By 0. V. Aplin, M.B.O.U. 



During the moderately open winter of 1889 — 90, Hawfinches 

 were unusually abundant in Oxfordshire, and attracted the 

 attention of many people. There can indeed be little doubt that 

 a considerable immigration of Hawfinches to this district took 

 place some time at the end of 1889 ; and, although I have seen 

 little or no notice taken of a similar abundance in other counties, 

 it seems highly probable that the movement was not merely a 

 local and internal one, but that the birds came from abroad. 



Although we do not often hear much about visitations of this 

 species (at all events since the Hawfinch has become so much 

 more abundant as a resident than it used to be), the fact is 

 mentioned in Professor Newton's ' Yarrell,' thus, "for it would 

 seem that it occasionally migrates to this country in considerable 

 flocks" (vol. ii. p. 101). The Hawfinch figures in the East 

 Coast of England Migration Keports for three successive years, 

 at the Inner Dowsing light-vessel. The dates were : — 1882, 

 October 20th, two ; 1883, November 2nd,* one (at Heligoland, 

 October 31st and November 1st, many) ; 1884, October 22nd, 

 one, came on board and then flew west. At Heligoland, 

 according to Mr. Gatke, the Hawfinch is a well-known visitor in 

 spring and autumn ; " always some, but no numbers " (Migration 

 Keport, 1882). 



Hawfinches have visited Oxfordshire in exceptional numbers 

 in other winters. In that of 1878 — 9, when this bird was 

 still considered very rare as a resident, a few specimens were 

 procured, and others were observed. In 1880—81 they were 

 much more numerous, and about twenty were taken to the 

 Banbury bird-stuffers, most of them having been picked up in a 

 starved condition. One peculiarity is, in my experience, common 

 to almost all, if not all, the males killed here in those winters in 



* The birds procured in 188 k 2 and 1883 proved to be Brarublings. Migr, 

 Eep. 1885, p. 45, note.— Ed. 



