THE FINCHES— FAMILY FRINGILLID/E 



405 



song appears to differ slightly ia difTereiit 

 counties ; for instance, the Essex hird's song is 

 said to be ToU-loll-loll-chickwcdn. while that of 

 the Kentish birds is 'Toll-loll-loll-kiss-me-dcar, 

 or at any rate these are the sounds conveyed by 

 the notes. When the former song is sung each 

 repeat must finish wilh a distinct wee do, the 

 latter with a distinct mc-dcar uttered in a rather 

 higher pitch. Some birds give different ter- 

 minations, and a good songster will repeat its 

 phrases with extreme pertinacity, which may be 

 stimulated by placing the young bird with an 

 older one of acknowledged singing powers. 

 Amongst a certain class this fact has been made 

 the basis of matches that are managed in a 

 business-like manner. A judge, referee, and 

 scorers are appointed ; and the rival birds, 

 confined in small cages, are brought into the 

 room covered and are hung up, but so that 

 they cannot see each other. The signal is 

 given, they are uncovered, and the match com- 

 mences. Every perfect " song " is scored down 

 to the respective singer until time is up, when 

 the singer of the highest number of songs wins. 

 The judge notifies each song to the scorer, and, 

 in case of dispute as to the imperfections of any 

 song, the assistance of the referee is called in. 

 No song counts, however often rendered, imless 

 it finishes in the manner already described. 



The Chaffinch is also a popular bird for 

 exhibitions, and generally competes successfully 

 in mixed classes, and at some shows a class is 

 given for this species alone. Size, comliiiud 

 with good shape, colours rich and brillianl, 

 well-defined markings, perfect plumage with a 

 good surface lustre and steadiness are the 

 necessary exhibition points. The cages recom- 

 mended for the Goldfinch are suitable for this 

 bird, with the inside of the show cage ))ainled 

 light green and the outside black. The diet 

 should be canary seed with a liltle German 

 rape, linseed and white sunflower seed, and a 

 sujiply of various wild seeds as recommended 

 for the Green and other Mnches. As the 

 Cbafiinch is a partial insectivorous feeder, a 

 little good insectivorous food should also be 

 given, as well as a meal worm or two or three 

 gentles. During the summer, caterpillars, wasp 

 grubs, green fly blight, and similar live food 

 can be supplied, and free access to the bath 

 always allowed. Chaffinches need not be hand- 

 reared, as wild caught adults soon settle down 

 to cage-life, and many become remarkably tame. 



The Brambling,Frz'n(/z7/a montifrinr/iUa (Linn.), 



also known as the Bramble or JMountain b'iiu'h, 



is a winter visitor to our isles, 



„ , . arriving between September and 



Brambling. ,. V ,. ' . 



November, sometnnes m very 



large flocks, and leaving us again early in the 



spring for its breeding haunts on the Continent 



and Siberia. While wilh us the Bramblings 

 frequent beech woods, partly wooded districts, 

 or localities interspersed with old hedgerows, 

 feeding largely on beechmast and seeds of the 

 alder. Tlu-y consort with Chathnches, which 

 they somewhat resemble in manners, visiting 

 farmyards in their company, and feeding on 

 loose grain or seeds. The Brambling has 

 practically no song, but its handsome plumage 

 and lively movements make it an attractive 

 bird. Many raise the feathers on the crown of 

 the head in crest form when looked at as if to 

 denote pleasure. In size and shape the 

 Brambling is similar to the Chaffinch, and a 

 good idea of its handsome plumage is given in 

 the male bird depicted on our coloured plate. 

 The female differs from the male in being paler 

 and browner in colour. The colours of the 

 winter plumage are not so brilliant, the black 

 feathers having sandy-coloured margins, which 

 gradually become black again as the birds 

 come into breeding condition. .Many Bramblings 

 are shown at our exhibitions during the autumn 

 and winter months in sunnner plumage as the 

 result of good feeding. An exhibition bird 

 should possess good colour with the various 

 tints rich and brilliant ; marking and spangling 

 distinct ; good size and shape ; perfect plumage 

 and steadiness. Food should be as for the 

 Chaffinch, but add to the bill of fare a supply 

 of beechmast and alder seeds whenever pro- 

 curable, and allow free use of the bath. 



The Limiet, Linota cunnubina {Newton) is a 

 ])lentiful resident distributed over the British 

 islands, frequenting commons, 

 furze-cOverts, and the borders 

 of moorland districts in summer to breed, 

 and then migrating to the coasts, stubble- 

 lands, and fallows in large flocks during 

 the autunm and winter. It is rare in some 

 parts of Scotland. Its range extends through- 

 out Europe, and there are large migra- 

 tions of Linnets from the Continent to our 

 shores in the spring and autunm. Its favourite 

 nesting sitiuition is in furze, white-thorn and 

 black-thorn bushes, but it also resorts to broom, 

 heather and other undergrowth. Generally the 

 nest is placed low, but we have found it 8 or 

 10 feet up in a tall white-thorn. Its food in 

 its wild state consists chiefly of seeds, the 

 young being largely reared on soft, succulent 

 seeds, charlock and knotgrass being especially 

 sought after ; it also feeds on speedwell, flax 

 (linseed), hemp, dandelion and other weeds. 

 Linnets are named Brown, Grey or Rose Linnet, 

 according to the colour of their plumage, which 

 varies greatly with the age of the bird and the 

 season of the year. When young — that is, 

 birds of the year with their first moult — Linnets 

 are lighter in colour than the bird depicted on. 



The Linnet. 



