ITS BIRDS
73
bottom. Mr. E. Barclay informs me that in 1878 a pair
nested in Cook's Folly and brought off five young ones.
" Occasionally seen in my garden in winter feeding on
hawthorn berries. In June, about twenty years ago, I
shot a young bird which was feeding on my peas in
company with one or two more." An interesting note
on the food and habits of the hawfinch, as observed at
Epping by the late Mr. Doubleday, will be found in
The Zoologist for 1843, p. 40, and 1856, p. 5098.
He remarked that this bird is particularly fond of the
seeds of the hornbeam, and is always more common in
the Forest when a fine warm spring has favoured the
HAWFINCH.
flowering of the hornbeam and produced a plentiful
crop of seeds.
Bullfinch. It used to be frequent throughout this neighbour-
hood, but it is so predatory among the fruit trees, that
I am not surprised that it has become scarcer.
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.
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 in 1883 ; three were seen in
February 1884.
Linnet. Large numbers were taken by bird-catchers on
E