APPENDIX. 657 



had not learned to whittle tunes. The greatefl 

 fum we heard of, was five guineas for a chaffinch y 

 that had a particular and uncommon note, under 

 which it was intended to train others : and we al- 

 fo heard of five pounds ten (hillings being given 

 for a call-bird linnet. 



A third fingular circumftance, which confirms 

 an obfervation of Linnaeus, is, that the male chaf- 

 finches fly by themfelves, and in the flight precede 

 the females; but this is not peculiar to the chaf- 

 finches. When the titlarks are caught in the begin- 

 ning of the feafon, it frequently happens, that 

 forty are taken and not one female among them : 

 and probably the fame would be obferved with" 

 regard to other birds (as has been done with rela- 

 tion to the wheat-ear) if they were attended to. 



An experienced and intelligent bird-catcher in- 

 formed us, that fuch birds as breed twice a year, 

 generally have in their flrft brood a majority of 

 males, and in their fecond, of females, which may 

 in part account for the above obfervation. 



We mutt not omit mention of the bulfinch y 

 though it does not properly come under the title 

 of a finging bird, or a bird of fight, as it does not 

 often move farther than from hedge to hedge ; yer^ 

 as the bird fells well on account of its learning to 

 whittle tunes, and fome times flies over the fields 

 where the nets are laid ; the bird-catchers have 

 often a call- bird to enfnare it, though moft of them 

 can imitate the call with their mouths. It is re- 

 markable 



