80 
BIRDS OF LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND. 
tree, and sometimes leaving it in a body and returning with the same 
celerity, keeping up a short conversational twittering. 
“ As soon as a cone is chosen, they proceed dexterously to extract the seed, 
by removing the protecting scales which guard it, assuming a position accord- 
ing to that of the cone, sometimes above, sometimes hanging to the branches 
that support it. When five or six of these little birds are thus busily 
employed, in every possible position, clustered on a bough thickly covered with 
cones, a very pretty bird picture is produced, worth setting up to illustrate 
incidents in the life-history of the Siskin. Their expertness in opening the 
cones is surprising, considering the hemlock-spruce is of Canada, and these 
birds are European, hence they cannot have an inherited experience. It is 
said that in Germany, the Siskin is mischievous in the hop-grounds, settling 
on the bine in great flocks and extracting the seeds of that plant. I have 
noticed them on the birch-trees, feeding on the seed, which is enclosed in 
a pendulous catkin-like receptacle.” 
GREENFINCH. Ligurinus chloris (Linn8eus). 
“ Green Grosbeak,” “ Green Linnet.” 
Resident, and common in gardens and fields close to the town of 
Leicester. — I have noticed this bird to be so fond of the seeds of the sunflower, 
as to come into gardens within a few yards of the house-door, and take but 
little notice of people close at hand. Few other birds appear to care for these 
seeds. 
The eggs are very variable in size, shape, and colour. Mr. Davenport 
writes: — “In July, 1883, I obtained a tiny egg of this species from a nest 
near Ashlands ; it was marked with a wreath at the thin end, and was about 
the size of a Tree-Creeper’s egg. This species occasionally lays six eggs.” 
Sir Arthur Hazlerigg possesses a canary-coloured variety, which he shot at 
Noseley about 1868. 
In Rutland. — Resident and common. 
HAWFINCH. Coccothraustes vulgaris (Pallas). 
“ Common Grosbeak.” 
Resident, generally distributed, more common than formerly, and 
breeding occasionally. — Mr. Babington (Appendix ‘ Potter,’ p. 67) said : — “ One 
shot at Coleorton, another at Groby.” Harley wrote : — “ During the winter 
seasons of 1830-1-2-3, the Hawfinch was abundant, and numbers were shot 
in many parts of the county,” and added : — “ The creature appears to be 
most partial to situations in which the hornbeam prevails, upon the hard 
seeds of which it feeds.” 
I received several for the Museum in Jan., 1881, from Cropston, Sapcote, 
