BUNTINGS AND FINCHES 123 



that the rice-bunting (E. oryzivord], when migrating 

 in autumn, utters a single chink as it flies (Am. Orn. 

 vol. i. p. 200). The British reed-bunting, I have 

 observed, sometimes utters, as at least a part of its 

 song, fink, fink, but these notes may be the con- 

 sequence of imitation, and not of inheritance. These 

 notes, chink and fink, remind one of the fink of the 

 chaffinch a cry closely like the fink of the reed- 

 bunting. But there is another note which has re- 

 semblance to the cry of a finch, and that is the common 

 alarm-note of the adult yellow bunting. It is a short 

 twitter, generally a double note, something like the 

 words did it, pronounced as one, and which cry is 

 sometimes repeated many times when danger is 

 imminent. Let any one listen to the alarm-cries 

 uttered by a flock of greenfinches and yellow-hammers, 

 and he will at once perceive the resemblance between 

 their alarms : the birds are not found together except 

 during winter, when they occasionally seek food in 

 the same spots. It may be said that the great tit- 

 mouse cries fink exactly like a chaffinch, and that 

 therefore, according to the line of reasoning adopted 

 in this chapter, these two species should be placed 

 somewhat near each other in classification ; but we 

 must remember that the great tit has a variety of 

 cries which are often varied in different individuals, 



