40 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Family FRINGILLID.E. Genus Frkngii.i.a. 



Sub-family /'Yv'/iV67ZZ/^^'. 



CHAFFINCH. 



Fringilla ccelebs, Liimaus. 



Double Brooded. Laying season, iVpril to June, and 

 even July. 



British breeding area : Few of our British birds 

 are more widely dispersed than the Chaffinch. It may 

 be found breeding in all districts suited to its require- 

 ments throughout the British Islands, only being absent 

 from the barest and treeless districts. 



Breeding habits : The principal haunts of the Chaf- 

 finch during the nesting season are gardens, orchards, 

 spinneys, plantations, and hedgerows. This species pairs 

 annually, and is one of the very first birds to do so, 

 the love-song of the male commencing in February, or 

 early in March. The nest, however, is rarely commenced 

 before April. Almost every tree or good-sized bush in 

 the summer haunts of the Chaffinch is destined at one time 

 or another to contain its nest. The most general situations 

 are in forks and crotches of the fruit trees, or in the tall 

 bushes of the hedgerows ; in whitethorn trees, or in the 

 moss and lichen-covered branches of birches, elms, oaks, 

 and ash trees. Less frequently the nest is placed in 

 some evergreen, particularly a holly, or in a gorse bush. 

 1 have seen it made on a tuft of grass growing from a wall, 

 and various other situations equally strange have been 

 recorded. Perhaps with the sole exception of that of the 

 Long-tailed Titmouse, the nest of no other British bird 

 equals that of the Chaffinch in neatness and in beauty. 

 A great variety of materials is used, and a series of 

 the nests of this species not only present considerable 

 variety in their appearance, but great diversity of skill, 



