NATURE'S CAROL SINGERS. 



associating with their relatives, the Com- 

 mon Sparrows, hunt farmyards and 

 gardens for corn, seeds, and any other 

 unconsidered trifles they may chance to 

 pick up. 



However gloomy the conditions of 

 existence may be, the brave Chaffinch is 

 always sprightly, vigorous, and cheerful, 

 a characteristic which may be plainly 

 seen in our illustration of birds feeding 

 on the snow. 



The call note of the species is a loud, 

 ringing spink, spink, which is also used 

 as an alarm cry. In the spring the 

 male utters in addition a very sweet 

 one sounding something like tu-wheet, tu- 

 wheet. During flight the bird makes use 

 of another note, which is difficult to 

 render by the characters of the alphabet, 

 but may, perhaps, be best represented 

 by the letters tuke. 



The song is repeated thousands of 

 times per day in the early part of the 

 breeding season. It is a very sprightly 

 performance, like a merry old English 

 catch, tol-de-rol, lol, chickweedo, which 

 has been very aptly likened to the words, 

 " Will you, will you kiss me, dear ? " 

 Some people consider it a monotonous 

 affair, but in spite of the fact that I have 

 228 



