Finches. 1 49 



different song from those caught on the other side of 

 the river. They have singing matches amongst their 

 birds, and the Chaffinch that sings the greatest number 

 of perfect notes within a given time, gains the prize for 

 his owner. A perfect note is represented by the 

 syllables toll-loll-loll-chick-wee-do, and if a bird slurs 

 them over, or stops at chick or wee, the note is not 

 counted. Chaffinches appear to be obliged to re-learn 

 their song every spring, and begin it afresh, chirping, 

 and mingling passages of it with their chirps, repeating 

 these, and exercising their voices by degrees, till the 

 full song is regained. This process the bird-fanciers 

 call " recording," and if the song is perfect by the end 

 of a week or fortnight, they consider it a great proof of 

 excellence in the bird. Great pains are taken in the 

 instruction of young Chaffinches in Germany,* and very 

 large sums are obtained for those reputed good song- 

 sters, trained by some famous bird. Much cruelty also 

 prevails, I fear, and the poor birds are frequently 

 blinded, from the notion that they sing better in the 

 dark. 



The Chaffinch is a very pretty bird, and easily tamed, 

 and can be reared from the nest on soaked bread 

 moistened with water, and scalded rape-seed. The 

 young males are to be distinguished by having more 



* I have heard that the desire for these birds has been lately on 

 the decline. 



