34 
ALLEN’S NATURALIST’S LIBRARY. 
In Winter the colour of the plumage is as in summer, but 
the whole of the bill is fleshy white. 
Adult remale.— Differs from the male in being duller coloured, 
the head being ashy brown, becoming chocolate-brown on the 
hinder crown; forehead and sides of face dull ochre-brown; 
under surface of body ochreous brown. 1 otal length, 6 7 , 
culmen, 075 ; wing, 3-9 ; tail, rx ; tarsus, 075. 
Young.— Chocolate-brown above, the crown olive-yellow with 
dusky tips to the feathers; throat pale yellow; under surface 
light brown with dusky tips to the feathers. 
Range in Great Britain.-Locally distributed, but increasing in 
numbers, and by no means rare in the vicinity of London 
while in some of the southern counties it may be called . 
even plentiful. In Scotland and Ireland it is an irregular 
visitor. 
Range outside the British Islands.— Generally distributed over 
Europe and breeding also in Algeria, extending eastward to 
Asia Minor and the Caucasus, and even to lurkestan. 
Hahits.— The Hawfinch is a very shy bird, and even where it 
is known to nest it is not easy of observation. Its food con- 
sists ktrgcly of berries, seeds, and the kernels or stone-fruit 
which it is able to crush with its strong bill, rejecting the fruit 
itself and eating only the kernel. In this way Hawfinches do 
some damage to plum-trees, and they also devour a quantity 
of peas from the gardens. The young birds are especially 
fond of the last-named food. 
Nest -Composed of twigs and roots with a little lichen added, 
■j 1 r,A=i having a considerable fringe of out- 
XWJ&t i" thX? Of .he Bullfinch. The h»in g 
consists of fine roots and hair. 
_ Tu-mr to six. Ground of eggs stone-colour, with scrib- 
Eggs. ho. grey or blackish brown, the grey 
bling marks ^ tint . occasionally the markings are 
being the in ) ? me specimens the ground-colour of 
fh”? g ?“iior ”,r, etone-colour Mi, oto, inch; 
to! Us-o-, 5 . (Bute XXIX, F,g. 8.) 
