CHIFFCHAFF. 437 
- very extraordinary how birds having such totally different notes could have 
been confounded together for so long. The song of the Chiffchaff might 
be confounded with that of the Siberian Chiffchaff, but bears no resem- 
blance whatever to the song of either the Wood-Wren or Willow-Wren. 
It is a loud unmusical double note, chiff, chaff’; tsy, tsa; till, tell; chink, 
chunk, or whatever other monosyllables the listener may fancy it resembles. 
Occasionally a third or even a fourth note, slightly differing from the usual 
note, is introduced, but quite as monotonous and unmusical. Ifthese notes 
were not confined to the spring and summer, and apparently discontinued 
during the winter, as are also the similar notes of the Siberian Chiffchaff, 
one might be inclined to regard them as call-notes, and not of the nature 
of asong at all. Much confusion arises, and many errors are initiated or 
propagated, by the fact that ornithologists copy each other, instead of going 
to Nature for their facts. Most of the accounts of the habits of birds in 
Dresser’s ‘ Birds of Europe’ are condensed from Naumann’s ‘ Birds of 
Germany,’ and in many cases are incorrectly translated from the writings 
of that great field-ornithologist ; but perhaps the most remarkable instance 
of this kind of ornithological composition is to be found in Morris’s de- 
scription of the song of the Chiffchaff, which is borrowed from Meyer, and 
spoiled in the borrowing. Meyer says :—‘“‘Its note, though it cannot be 
called a song, is not altogether unmusical; it consists sometimes of only 
_ two notes, which have been likened to chiff, chaff, whence it has derived its 
name ; but we have heard its cry frequently extended to three notes, each 
differing from the other, as if it were chiff, cheff, chaff, singing amongst 
the tops of trees like the chime of little bells.” If Meyer had lived in 
Sheffield in the days of cast-steel bells, some excuse might have been found 
for his far-fetched simile. Morris seems, however, to have been quite 
fascinated with this poetical image, and enlarges upon it. Because Meyer 
says that the notes are not altogether unmusical, and that its cry is fre- 
quently extended to three notes, each differing from the other, Morris 
generalizes upon the facts, and writes “the song” is “melodious and 
varied ;”’ and, as if anxious to betray the source of his information, adds :— 
“<Tt comes from the tops of the trees with a ringing sound, reminding one 
of the faint chime of the distant village church bell,’—a by no means un- 
poetical version of a fellow naturalist’s description, but, applied to the clear, 
loud, monotonous, and, in comparison with the more melodious songs of its 
“nearest kinsmen, somewhat harsh notes of the Chiffchaff, to be described 
only as unmitigated nonsense. The alarm-note of the Chiffchaff is a whit 
not unlike that of the Willow-Wren, but not so loud, somewhat more pro- 
longed and slightly shriller. A third note is often heard, something like 
tr-r-r. 
In its habits the Chiffchaff does not differ much from the Willow-Wren. 
It is quite as active and restless, but perhaps is more often seen near the 
