Thk CiiaI'Kixch 97 



with the House- Sparrow." It would, therefore, appear that, if properly treated, 

 this species does become stead}' enough to breed in confinement. 



I have been told, by Aviculturists who have kept the Tree-Sparrow, that it 

 is not tyrannical in an aviar}' ; it must, however, be borne in mind, that an indi- 

 vidual does not necessaril_y exhibit the characteristics of a species ; even half a 

 dozen specimens may all be of a peaceful disposition (as was the case with my 

 Robins, which never fought with any but their own species). Ou the other hand 

 one vicious Tree-Sparrow, associated with birds weaker than itself, might do much 

 mischief in a verj' sliort space of time : its powerful beak would enable it to kill 

 or maim any smaller or weaker bird without the least trouble. 



Family— FKIXGILL ID. E. SnbJainiiy—FRIXGILLIN^. 



The Chaffinch. 



Fiingilla ccclcbs, LiXN. 



Although the type of the family FringiUidcc and, therefore, the Finch of 

 Finches, this species and the Brambling differ much in their habits from 

 the other British species of typical Finches (Fringi/Iincr) and one is 

 surprised that any man, having the knowledge of living birds which Seebohm 

 undoubtedly had, should have been content to place forms with Tit-like habits 

 (Siskin, Goldfinch, Redpolls) in the same genus with the true species of Fringilla 

 — birds which have the habits of Buntings. If distinctive structural characters 

 were wholly absent, one could understand it. 



The Chaffinch is distributed as a breeding species throughout Europe almost 

 up to the North Cape, but in the south of Europe it chiefly haunts the mountains 

 during the breeding season, wintering in the plains. It occurs locall}- in Morocco 

 and Algeria, and winters in Egypt. In zAsia it is said to breed in Palestine, Asia 

 Minor, and Western Persia, and to winter in Turkestan. 



In Great Britain the Chaffinch is generally distributed ; breeding freel}- in all 



Vol.. n. C2 



