CHAFFINCH 181 



no spots at all or lines of any sort whatever, but was of a 

 deep, rich blue, not unlike a Hedge-Sparrow's egg." 



In his notes on the birds at Kainham in 1868, Mr. 

 F. D. Power says: "A great migration of these birds 

 commenced about October 8, and continued every day 

 throughout the month. This movement was always in 

 a west-north-westerly direction, and most marked in the 

 early morning, generally stopping about 10 o'clock. 

 Flock after flock passed over in rapid succession, and at 

 an average height of 40 yards, but on clear mornings they 

 would be very high, in fact, only just visible, and only to 

 be discovered by following the direction of their incessant 

 chinhings. I noticed a similar migration last year about 

 the same time, but not to such an extent." 



Dr. A. G. Butler, in his remarks on the variation of 

 nests, says: " In four nests of the Chaffinch, taken during 

 the present year (1883), I observed little variation, except- 

 ing that one of them is thickly lined within with thistle- 

 down, and a second has the wall on one side very narrow 

 and adorned with a single, very jaunty white feather ; 

 last year, however, I found a very aberrant nest, some- 

 what roughly constructed of roots and fibre, with very 

 little adornment of moss and lichen, but a fair sprinkling 

 of fine worsted ; the interior is lined with thistle-down 

 and hair, the latter being, as usual, most prominent." 



In April, 1906, Mr. E. J. Balston observed the 

 Chaffinch hawking insects from a fence at Bilsington, 

 near the Priory, in the same manner that the Spotted 

 Flycatcher does. 



Notes on the Breeding of the Chaffinch. 

 By Charles A. Witchell. 



" Some years ago, a friend who had bred many hybrid 

 Finches of different kinds, told me that hybrids could not 



