COCCOTHRAUSTES 
Hawfinch. 
VULGARIS. 
Loxia coccothraustes, Linnseus, Gmelin, &c. 
Fringilla coccothraustes, Temminck. 
Coccothraustes vulgaris, Fleming, Selby, &c. 
deformis, Koch. 
atrigularis, Macgillivray. 
The Hawfinch, or Grosbeak, as it is freqnently called, is by far the largest of the FrmgilUdcB inhabiting 
Great Britain, where it is a constant resident. Although somewhat local, it is far more generally dispersed 
over the country than was formerly supposed. Mr. Rodd mentions it in his ‘List of Cornish Birds;’ but it 
appears to be less common in Cornwall than in many other parts of England. In Sussex, Surrey, Kent, 
Middlesex, and Essex it is very abundant, and, although the northern counties are not without its presence, 
it gradually becomes less numerous towards the north ; it is, however, found in the southern parts of Scot- 
land. In Ireland it is certainly not so numerous as in England, but still it is far from rare in that country. 
The Rev. F. O. Morris, after enumerating the several parts of Ireland in which it has been found, says, 
“ But in the Phoenix Park, near Dublin, where the hawthorn-trees are both among the finest and in the 
greatest numbers I have ever seen, it appears to be procurable in small numbers every winter.” On the 
continent of Europe it is, I believe, not too much to say that it is universally dispersed, except in the 
extreme northern parts. It was met with in the eastern Atlas of North Africa by Mr. Salvin ; and I have 
specimens in my colleetion which were procured in Asia Minor. This, however, is not the extent of its 
range in an easterly direction ; for, although it does not form part of the avi-fauna of India, strange to say, 
it is one of the very commonest birds of the Amoor, China, and Japan, as is evidenced by the numerous 
examples sent home from those countries. So precisely do Chinese specimens accord with those killed in 
Britain, that I am quite unable to detect even sueh a slight variation between them as would he sufficient to 
constitute them a different race. 
For the best account of the habits of the Hawfinch we are indebted to the pen of Mr. Henry Douhleday, 
of Epping, a gentleman well known as a lover of nature, and a keen observer of our native birds. In his 
paper on the subject, published in the first volume of the ‘ Magazine of Zoology and Botany,’ he says, “ I have 
for some years given close attention to their habits, and I can safely assert that they are permanent residents ; 
nor can I perceive any addition to their numbers by the arrival of foreigners at any period of the year. Tlieir 
extreme shyness has, no doubt, contributed to keep us in ignorance of their habits and economy ; in this trait 
they exceed any land-bird with which I am acquainted, and in open plaees it is almost impossible to approach 
them within gunshot. Their principal food here appears to be the seed of the hornbeam (Carpimis betulus, 
Linn.), which is the prevailing species of tree in Epping Forest ; they also feed on the kernels of the haws, 
plum-stones, laurel-berries, &c., and in summer make great havoc amongst green peas in gardens, in the 
vicinity of the forest. 
“ About the middle of April they pair, and in a week or two commence nldification. The sitnation of the 
nest is various, hut it is most commonly placed in an old scrubby white-thorn hush, often in a very exposed 
situation ; they also frequently build on the horizontal arms of old oaks, the heads of pollard hornbeams, in 
hollies, and occasionally in fir-trees in plantations, the elevation at which the nest is placed varying from 
five to twenty-five or thirty feet. The most correct description of the nest which I have seen is in Latham’s 
‘ Synopsis.’ It is there said to be composed of the dead twigs of oak, honeysuckle, &c., intermixed with 
pieces of grey liehen : the quantity of this last material varies much in different nests, but it is never absent ; 
in some it is only very sparingly placed among the twigs, in others the greater part of the nest is composed 
of it : the lining consists of fine roots and a little hair. Tlie whole fabrie is very loosely put together, and it 
requires considerable care to remove it from its situation uninjured.” 
A nest taken from a tall white-thorn by Joseph Gurney Barclay, Esq., who resides at Leighton, near 
Epping Forest, is described by Mr. Yarrell as being “formed of twigs laid across the branches, in various 
directions, as a framework or foundation of support ; and the whole of the upper part was composed of 
gardeners’ bass, wreathed in circles, and mixed with a few fine roots.” Another nest brought to Mr. Yarrell 
“had a flat under surface of dead twigs of fir and birch, nearly as thick as wheat-straw, with fibrous roots 
and grey lichen laid flat upon them, the structure resembling the platform-nests made by Doves and Pigeons.” 
“ The eggs,” says Mr. Doubleday, “ vary in number from four to six, and are of a pale olive-green, spotted 
with black, and irregularly streaked with dusky grey. Some specimens are far less marked than others, and 
I have seen some of a uniform pale green ; their length is eleven lines by eight lines and a half in breadth. 
