88
EPPING FOREST.
Bullfinch. Frequent throughout this neighbourhood. It is
one of the few birds which it is pardonable to shoot in
our gardens.
Chaffinch. Very common, and nearly as mischievous as the
preceding.
Common Bunting. " Used to be more frequent than now.
I have often had nests with eggs brought to me by the
mowers."—J. L. E.
Snow Bunting. One example of this bird was killed by a
boy with a stone on Epping Plain. Another was killed
in 1840 by an old Sportsman who is still alive.
Yellow Hammer. Common.
HAWFINCH.
Black-headed Bunting. Common in summer in bushes
along the Roding. Occasionally seen in winter.
Goldfinch. Used often to be caught by bird-catchers on
Wanstead Flats. Common about the lanes of Loughton.
Siskin. Occasional winter visitor to Wanstead Park. I
saw one about the alders last spring, 1883 ; three were
seen in February 1884.
Linnet. Large numbers were taken by bird-catchers on
Wanstead Flats a few years ago. I have talked with
these men when at work with their clapnets, and they
told me they often caught lesser redpolls ; these and
the linnets they put in cages ; but greenfinches, which
they took in prodigious numbers, were killed at once,