FRINGILLIN.E. 



THE CHAFFINCH. 



Fringilla ccelebs, Linnaeus. 



The Chafifinch is a common and generally distributed species 

 throughout the cultivated or wooded portions of the British Islands, 

 especially in the north of England ; it may even be found nesting 

 in low bushes in some of the treeless Outer Hebrides, as well as the 

 Orkneys, and also at a considerable elevat'ion on the mountains of 

 Scotland, where it is undoubtedly increasing. As yet it has not 

 been recorded as breeding in the Shetlands, although it visits them, 

 especially in October, and some birds remain for the winter. At 

 that season large flocks arrive from the Continent on our east coast, 

 while other bands, from the north of our island, spread themselves 

 over the inland provinces. Owing to a partial and temporary 

 separation of the sexes at this time, the name ccelebs, or bachelor, 

 was used by Linnaeus in reference to the deserted males. Mr. 

 Barrington considers it the commonest passerine bird in Ireland. 



As a wanderer the Chaffinch has been obtained in the Faeroes, 

 and in summer it occurs, in comparatively small numbers, nearly up 

 to the North Cape ; while south of the Arctic circle it is generally 



