THE CALL-NOTE 43 



interval of about a fifth or sixth. It may be pro- 

 nounced twit, and written thus : 



In autumn yet another cry is employed, a very short 

 and soft chirp or whistle, descending in the interval 

 of a whole tone. The cry pink^ which is quite 

 distinct from the other notes, is a battle-cry and 

 alarm. I have twice in winter heard it used by 

 fighting chaffinches, and on several other occasions 

 it has been accompanied by a menace. On one 

 occasion (in March) I saw two male chaffinches 

 flying around a female. The leading male, evidently 

 trying to avoid the attack of his pursuer, uttered the 

 soft call-note (like chissick\ seemingly as a call to 

 the female. The pursuing bird uttered pink pink 

 very loudly. This incident lasted for about one 

 minute. I have also heard the latter cry uttered by 

 caged chaffinches when much alarmed. Mr. Herbert 

 C. Playne informs me that this cry is frequently 

 employed when chaffinches are mobbing an owl ; I 

 have heard it employed by them towards my tame 

 kestrel ; and Rennie's Domestic Habits of Birds (p. 

 248) recorded that some chaffinches cried in the 

 same tone at a pine- marten. This note is also 



