1884.] . OUR SONGBIRDS. 177 



going ; for one of the first sounds we hear in the morning after a snow- 

 storm is his plaintive ' chook ' appealing to our charity. 



The Thrush, or Mavis, comes next. His singing differs from the 

 Blackbird's, being bold and clear. When he gets hold of a gootl 

 phrase, he repeats it five or six times. Amongst a great variety of 

 notes, something like the following is fre([uently heard : — * Chilly-oo, 

 chilly-oo ! Seek it oot, seek it oot ! ' and an unmistakable * How-de- 

 doo.' Sometimes he begins on a low key, and at a single bound rises 

 to a third above the upper octave ; at other times he sings in fifths, 

 and slurs up the intervening notes with great precision. The Mavis 

 is the first to begin in the morning, and the last to give in at night. 

 Burns speaks of it as ' Thou Mellow mavis, that hails the nichtfa'.' 

 Daring the severity of winter he migrates to the sea-coast. 



The Chaffinch, or, as we call it here, the Shilfa, is a pretty little 

 creature, and is the best singer amongst our smaller birds, although 

 he has only one short tune, which he sings over and over again. 

 Country people have interpreted this phrase as 'My pretty little 

 maid, come here directly,' a peculiar twirl being given to the last 

 note. The best place to hear those birds is in a glen filled with 

 hollies, where they congregate in great numbers. Taking your stand 

 on one of the banks, you will hear their music rippling backward and 

 forward throughout the whole day, and far on into the night. The 

 nest of the Shilfa is a marvel of neatness and warmth. 



The Willow Wakblek. — This little bird has a soft, liquid tone, 

 and its singing very much resembles a trill of subdued laughter. 

 Along with the Shilfas, they begin to sing an hour or so later than 

 the Blackbirds and Thrushes, and, as they are found in great numbers, 

 their singing is full and melodious. They build their nests on the 

 ground, wliich in the bark-peeling season are very liable to be tram- 

 pled on ; foresters, however, are most careful in protecting them, and 

 generally put up a branch to mark where they are. Like some other 

 birds, they have a little trick they play off upon us. You will some- 

 times come on one fluttering on the ground, apparently at its last 

 gasp ; on stooping to lift it up, it will make a despairing effort to 

 get out of the way, and lead you on and on until you are a safe dis- 

 tance from its nest, and then fly off. 



The Green Linnet is also a good song bird. He is heard to best 

 advantage at the end of the season, when the other birds have stopped. 

 On a quiet summer evening you will hear him singing in slow, 

 plaintive notes on some tree-top, as if mourning over the departed 

 spring. Occasionally he will take a zigzag flight, jerking out his 

 n otes as he flies from tree to tree. 



The* Yellow-hammer, or Yorlin. — This bird is occasionally found 



