AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 179 



a vast majority, though, as mentioned in the work to 

 which I have just referred, it is possible that some of 

 these supposed females may be young males of the 

 year which have not acquired their full plumage. 

 The Chaffinch is a lively active bird, and his cheery 

 song, though not of high merit, is pleasant and, 

 comparatively speaking, very powerful. The nest is 

 one of the most beautiful works of the kind to be 

 met with in our country, and altogether I think that 

 this species is deservedly a favourite. The Chaffinch 

 is more or less abundant over the whole continent 

 of Europe, and is by no means uncommon as a winter 

 visitor to the neighbourhood of Algiers, where, 

 however, a closely allied and beautiful Chaffinch, 

 Fringilla spodioyenia, takes its place as the resident 

 species. 



79. BRAMBLING. 



Fringilla montifringilla. 



This bird is a pretty regular winter visitor to our 

 district, generally arriving about the middle of 

 October, sometimes in vast numbers, whilst in some 

 seasons it is comparatively scarce ; it must, however, 

 be a very exceptional year in which more or less of 

 these pretty birds may not be found amongst the old 

 beech trees in front of the house at Lilford in the 

 latter part of October, and, in ordinary instances, 

 throughout November and December. The Bram- 

 bling with us seems to feed almost exclusively on the 

 fallen beech-mast, as long as there is any to be found, 

 but in snow, or very severe frosts, they betake them- 

 selves, with other Finches, to the stackyards; we 



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