THE CHIFF-CHAFF. 139 



passing near one or more, and having little to say, it seems 

 never weary of repeating its tale, " Chiff, chaff, cheff, 

 chiff, chaff : " the syllables have a harsh sound pronounced 

 by human lips, but when chanted in the silvery notes of a 

 little bird, in the season of primroses and wild hyacinths, 

 and accompanied by the warble of the Hay-bird, the full 

 song of the Thrush, and the whistle of the Blackbird, they 

 contribute not a little to the harmony of the woods. For 

 two successive years a little yellowish bird, scarcely bigger 

 than a wren, has established himself in my garden about the 

 middle of April, and sedulously devoted himself to clearing 

 away the aphides which infested some China roses trained 

 against the walls of my house. Occasionally he would 

 flutter against the windows, and give his attention to the 

 spiders and gnats which nestled in the corners of the panes. 

 The first year I took him for a Hay-bird, but, only too 

 grateful for his kind offices, I was careful not to molest 

 him. When, however, he appeared a second year, exactly 

 at the same season, and performed a series of manoeuvres 

 so precisely similar that it was impossible to doubt that the 

 bird was not merely of the same species, but the same 

 individual, I watched him more closely. The dark colour 

 of his feet, as observed from within the house, as he was 

 fluttering against the glass, decided the point that he was 

 not a Hay-bird, and when he retired to an apple-tree 

 hard by and treated himself to a song after his repast, no 

 doubt remained that he was a Chiff-chaff. It is not often 

 that the Chiff-chaff is thus familiar in its habits. More 

 frequently it makes its abode in woods and groves, resem- 

 bling the Hay-bird so closely in size, colour, and habits, 

 that to distinguish the two is very difficult. The difference 

 of note, however, is decisive ; and the colour of the feet 

 (when the bird is near enough to admit of being thus distin- 

 guished) is another certain criterion. The two birds frequent 

 the same trees without rivalry or jealousy. They arrive in 

 England about the same time I have heard the Chiff-chaff 



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