THE CHAFFINCH 243 



This home of the Chaffinch is a wonderful structure, 

 and made so closely to resemble its surroundings 

 that discovery is often difficult. Much variation in 

 the materials will be remarked in a series of nests. 

 Moss, dry grass, roots, cobwebs, lichens, cocoons 

 and wool are the principal materials used externally ; 

 feathers, hair, vegetable down and wool are selected 

 for the lining. Some nests are made outwardly 

 almost entirely of green moss ; others of moss 

 studded and garnished with lichens, bits of paper 

 and wood and bark, all fastened on with spiders' 

 webs and down. The nest is beautifully felted 

 together, wonderfully finished ; and nearly a fort- 

 night is taken up in its fabrication. The eggs are 

 from four to six in number, pale bluish-green in 

 ground-colour, spotted and speckled with rich 

 purplish-brown, and often clouded with paler brown. 

 If disturbed at the nest the old birds often become 

 very demonstrative, keeping up a chorus oi pink-pink 

 in a very appealing way. Two or more broods are 

 reared in the season, which lasts until July. 



The food of the Chaffinch in summer is largely 

 composed of insects and larvae, some of the former 

 being captured whilst the bird is on the wing. In 

 winter grain and seeds and beech-mast are the 

 principal fare. The alarm-note of the Chaffinch is 

 the well-known //;//(' ; its call-note is a twittering cry 

 rapidly repeated ; whilst in the breeding season the 

 male alone utters a sharp and clear whit or whet. 



