Ficedula — Fringilla — Montifringilla 7 3 



on worms 1 ; but is a little bird like the grasmusch of the 

 Germans, living upon figs and grapes, as Martial prettily 

 bears witness in these lines : — 



Since the fig gives me nourishment, and I feed on sweet grapes, 

 Why has the grape not rather given me a name ? 



Of the Fringilla. 



Xirl^a, fringilla, in English a chafBnche, a sheld-appel 2 , 

 a spink, in German eyn buchfink. 



Fringilla^ — on Aristotle's authority — in summer haunt 

 warm places, and in winter cold ; and thence I think that 

 they received their name among the Latins 3 , for when it is 

 cold more are seen flocking round us than in summer time. 

 In size the bird equals a Sparrow and is marked with various 

 colours, namely, white and green, and russet. In the male 

 the breast is ruddy, in the female pale. The male sings 

 in the early spring. The Fringilla nests upon the highest 

 boughs of shrubs or on the lowest boughs of trees, and 

 fashions its nest inwardly of wool and outwardly of moss. 



Of the Montifringilla. 



'Opoo-7rt£?79, montifringilla, in English a bramlyng, in 

 German eyn rowert. 



Aristotle. 

 The Montifringilla is like the Fringilla, and similar 

 in size, but with a blue neck ; and it lives in mountains, 

 whence it has its name. 



The little bird which I believe to be the Montifringilla, 

 in size and shape of body is like the Fringilla, but the male 

 has blue feathers upon the neck, which one cannot perceive 

 so quickly in the hen. The beak is yellow, and the wings 

 in truth are marked with various colours, yellow, black and 

 white, as in the Aurivittis. Its note is unmelodious and 

 grating. 



1 See p. 35. 



2 Shell-apple, or Apple-sheiler is still a Northumbrian name for the 

 Chaffinch. The word 'sheld' may mean 'parti-coloured.' 



3 Here Turner's mistaken etymology {Fringilla afrigore) is evident. 



