302 CHAFFINCH. 



rate portion of woodland cover, and being wanting 

 only in some of those bare northern tracts where 

 neither tree nor bush prevails. During the 

 summer, Chaffinches, like nearly all our smaller 

 birds, continue pairs, and as the broods become 

 able to associate with their parents, they may be 

 found in small parties ; as winter comes on, the 

 flocks increase, frequenting woodland districts, 

 and feeding on the ground upon various seeds. 

 They visit the farm yard and the vicinity of 

 cultivation, more than the last, and trust, as it 

 were, more to artificial sustenance. During sum- 

 mer, and the season of incubation, their food is 

 in a great part insectivorous, and the caterpillars 

 of the Lepidoptera, which are at this time 

 abundant, particularly those of the Geometry 

 are materially kept in check by their assistance. 

 In gardens this bird is frequently very destruc- 

 tive to the newly sown small seeds, such as 

 turnips, radishes, any kind of greens, c. seizing 

 the young plant, and pulling it up, with the view 

 apparently of reaching the seed. In this way we 

 have seen whole beds and rows completely torn 

 up. Another mischievous practice is, that of 

 pulling off the heads of the polyanthus and prim- 

 rose, for the purpose of either getting at the 

 supply of honey or sweet juice which rests at the 

 bottom of the tube of the corolla, or to feed on 

 the small insects which are attracted there ; a 

 bush or plant is often stripped in a single morn- 

 ing, and the care of the florist rendered vain. 

 The great proportion of our migratory birds 



