NATURE'S CAROL SINGERS. 



THE CHAFFINCH. 



YOUTHFUL students of 

 ornithology are fre- 

 quently at a loss to 

 understand why Lin- 

 naeus, the great Swedish 

 naturalist, gave this 

 bird the somewhat odd 

 scientific name of 

 ccelebs, signifying bach- 

 elor. He did so be- 

 cause he noticed that 

 in his own country the 

 females left the males 

 behind in winter and migrated south in 

 search of more hospitable climes. 



In Scotland and the North of England 

 I have frequently observed the same kind 

 of thing happen, and especially during 

 severe winters, not a female to be seen 

 for weeks together, and the males all con- 

 gregated in little flocks. In the South 

 and West of England, however, both 

 sexes remain together, as a rule, and, 

 226 



