VOICES OF FINCHES 133 



We will now refer briefly to the subject of the 

 voices of the finches. The common call of the adult 

 greenfinch is practically the same as those of the 

 goldfinch, siskin, and lesser redpoll ; and is heard 

 slightly modified in the brown linnet and canary. 

 This cry is not heard in the chaffinch or house- 

 sparrow. The greenfinch has a rough song- note 

 heard in a brief form in the song of the chaffinch. 

 The goldfinch and lesser redpoll have a defiance-note 

 of the same character, and a like incident is found 

 in the house-sparrow. The call of the young green- 

 finch after leaving the nest is heard in the songs of 

 the brown linnet, siskin, and goldfinch, and is a 

 vehement call of the adult greenfinch. It is one of 

 the chief warning-notes, and also a song-note of the 

 house-sparrow. It is never uttered by the chaffinch. 

 But the call of the young house-sparrow is reproduced, 

 sometimes exactly, in the young chaffinch, and is 

 always a soft love-call in that species. The prominent 

 note of the chaffinch is fi^ik or tink^ which is also 

 heard in the voice of the goldfinch and in the song 

 of the brown linnet. Family resemblance is further 

 traceable clearly in the voices of some European 

 and American finches. 



A comparison of the notes of raptorial birds 

 generally reveals the sam.e similarity of voice in 



