HARJDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



179 



soft-plumaged bird, the chaffinch {Fringilla ciclcbs), 

 whose graceful motions and sweet and varied song 

 make it a general favourite. " From rosy morn till 

 dewy eve " is either this song or call note to be 

 heard, and, to me, there are few country sounds so 

 sweet and suggestive of peace. Were I compelled to 

 banish from my garden and orchard every bird but 

 one, I think I should elect to preserve the chaffinch. 



And yet I should look with lingering fondness after 

 his first cousin, that merry songster the goldfinch 

 {Carduelis ckgaus), for it is a docile and gentle bird, 

 delighting the eye as much by the beauty of its 

 plumage as the ear by the sweetness of its song. She 

 does not visit my window so frequently as many other j 

 birds, and almost invariably waits until the flock has 

 dwindled down to ones and twos, when, with her 

 friend the female chaffinch, they together gather up 

 the almost microscopic fragments of the feast. I say 

 she, for, singularly enough, although one pair always 

 nests in my garden, or orchard, the male bird never 

 favours me with a visit ; but sings to cheer his mate. 



One day last summer, when she was leading off 

 her scarcely fledged nestlings, a playful puppy in my 

 orchard contrived to kill one in the long grass, a 

 second barely escaped, and taking the panting little 

 downy ball in my warm hands, I kept it there until 

 its throbbings were stilled. I fed it with biscuit, 

 soaked in milk, and beaten into a soft pulp, and, 

 after keeping it for 24 hours, placed it upon the 

 lower branch of an apple-tree, then watched to see if 

 the parents would recognise their lost one. I'o my 

 delight they at once answered its chirp, and set to 

 work to feed it, and soon I had the satisfaction of 

 seeing it led to the side of its three brethren. A few 

 days after, it set up life on its own account. 



There is yet another most innocent little bird ever 

 near my window, although not often upon the sill. I 

 .allude to the soberly-dressed hedge warbler {Accen- 

 tor viodularis). Most social and trustful is this bird, 

 almost never, either summer or winter, absent from 

 my small lawn, or gathering crumbs beneath the 

 window — never molesting nor being molested, since 

 he never thrusts himself into the midst of the chirp- 

 ing, twittering crowd. Very active in his movements, 

 although less so than the titmice, he is to be seen 

 searching for insects from early morn till darkness 

 shrouds every distant object. Yesterday, whilst I 

 was raking my garden, he was pouring out his full 

 lieart in a strain of sweet melody from a shrub within 

 a yard of me, following me as I moved, simply, as it 

 seemed, from a desire to be near my person. 



I have yet another constant visitor to my window ; 

 but I do not encourage him, seeing that his voracious 

 appetite leads him to clear off in the course of a few 

 minutes, more than sufficient to feed a host of smaller 

 birds. I speak of that bird whose flute-like notes 

 charm every woodland wanderer, the blackbird 

 (Tu7'dus meriila). He pecks, then peeps in at the 

 window, pecks again and again, and then another 



peep before he flies off with his usually somewhat 

 discordant cry, mostly uttered when disturbed. Last 

 year one built a nest and laid five eggs within two 

 feet of a beehive where I was daily feeding the bees, 

 but forsook it when I injudiciously swept from the 

 lowermost branches the snails that had collected 

 there — shortly after building another in the branches 

 of a pear-tree trained against the house. 



This bird seems to entertain a particular antipathy 

 to the common thrush {Ttirdiis iiiusiciis), and chases 

 him viciously whenever he comes to claim his share 

 of the good things I provide. Owing to this persecu- 

 tion thrushes are not often to be seen upon the 

 window-sill, generally picking up .'.tray crumbs that 

 have been scattered beneath. P'or these he repays 

 me with his sweet song, from break of day till nearly 

 all other birds have gone to rest. Last Christmas his 

 strains were remarkably strong and full, and during 

 the month of February his song seems to have 

 acquired its full strength. 



I must not forget my noisy, combative, ubiquitous 

 friend the common sparrow (Passer domesticus) ; of 

 course he is always in full force, always wary, always 

 obtrusive and full of self-assertion, and always able 

 to hold, not only his own, but also what properly 

 belongs to others. Both the courageous blue tit 

 and robin, however, contrive to keep him at a 

 respectful distance. 



I have by no means exhausted the list of visitors to 

 my window. The bullfinch {ryrrJuila vulgaris), 

 the tiny wren {Trog/odj'lcs Eiiropiciis), the starling, 

 and the water wagtail {Motacilla yarrellii) may be 

 included, but they are not frequent visitors ; the first 

 named being far too bu.sy with my fruit buds to do 

 more than hop down for a brief survey, just to see 

 what can possibly have attracted so many of his 

 feathered neighbours ; and the wren too much 

 engaged in prying into every crack and cranny in 

 search of insects, to often venture into the midst of 

 a feathered crowd. 



Well, it is a source of pure delight to me to see 

 the uncaged birds so full of trust, seemingly regard- 

 ing me as a friend, and many a charming sight have 

 I seen within the compass of half-a-dozen window 

 panes. A lovely picture is formed when side by side 

 appears a chaffinch in full plumage, a greater tit- 

 mouse, and a robin ; the contrast of colours is , 

 remarkably striking. 



During the severe winter of 1S80-1 the snow had 

 been swept into a ridge, some four or five feet from 

 my window, and upon the summit of this ridge the 

 live-long day there perched a small regiment of birds, 

 awaiting the supply of food whicLwas served three 

 times per diem. I sometimes counted together as 

 many as nine male chaffinches, beside a host of blue 

 tits, sparrows, robins, thrushes, starlings, blackbirds, 

 &c. 'Twas a pretty sight, and although never since 

 repeated, the daily smaller gathering of our window 

 pets is, to us, an unfailing source of pleasure. 



