448 Notes on the Hawfinch. 



permanently attached;, carnose, generally strengthened with a horny 

 or calcareous axis enveloped with the gelatinous or creto-gelatinous 

 crust in which the polype-cells are immersed, and which open on the 

 surface in a starred fashion with eight rays. Marine. 



Order III. Helianthoida. Polypes single, free or permanently 

 attached, fleshy, naked or encrusted with a calcareous Polypidom, 

 the upper surface of which is crossed with radiating lamellae ; mouth 

 encircled with tubulous tentacula ; stomach membranous, plaited ; 

 intestine ; anusO; ovaries in thread-like bundles, internal. Ma- 

 rine. 



Sub-class II. Molluscan Zoophytes. 



Body non-contractile, and non-symmetrical ; mouth and anus 



separate ; always oviparous ? 



Order IV. Ascidioida. Polypes aggregate, the mouth encircled 

 with filiform ciliated retractile tentacula ; a distinct stomach, with 

 a curved intestine terminating in an anus near the mouth ; ova in- 

 ternal. Polypidoms very variable, — either horny, fistular and con- 

 fervoid, or calcareous, membranous, or fibro-gelatinous, formed of 

 cells connected and arranged in a determinate and usually quin- 

 cuncial manner. Marine and lacustrine. 

 To be continued. 



VI — Notes on the Hawfinch (Coccolhraustes vulgaris,' Cuv.) as ob- 

 served in the vicinity of Epping Forest. By Henry Double - 

 day, Esq. 



By nearly all our writers on ornithology, the Hawfinch has been 

 considered as only a visitor of the British Islands, and these visits 

 have been supposed to be confined to the winter season, and to occur 

 at rather uncertain periods. 



Situate in a locality where these birds abound, I have for some 

 years past given close attention to their habits, and I can safely as- 

 sert, that they are permanent residents, nor can I perceive any ad- 

 dition to their numbers by the arrival of foreigners at any period 

 of the year. 



Their extreme shyness has no doubt contributed to keep us in 

 ignorance of their habits and economy : in this trait they exceed 

 almost any land bird with which I am acquainted, and in open 

 places it it almost impossible to approach them within gunshot. 



Their principal food here appears to be the seed of the Hornbeam 

 (Carpinns betula, Linn.^) which is the prevailing species of tree in 

 Epping forest ; they also feed on the kernels of the haws, plum- 



