THE GARDENER'S FRIEND, OR FOE? 235 



Deep in the thorn's entangled maze, 

 Or where the fruit-tree's thick'ning sprays 

 Yield a secure and close retreat, 

 The dusky Bullfinch plans her seat : 

 There, where you see the clustered boughs 

 Put forth the opening bud, her spouse 

 With mantle grey, and jet-like head, 

 And naming breast of crimson red, 

 Is perched, with hard and hawk-like beak, 

 Intent the embryo fruit to seek. 

 Nor ceases from his pleasing toil, 

 The orchard's budding hope to spoil, 

 Unless with quick and timid glance 

 Of his dark eye, your dread advance 

 He notice, and your search evade, 

 Hid in the thicket's pathless shade. 



The gardeners in this country call the plunderer above 

 described l Pick-a-bud,' and woe be to Master Bully if he 

 comes within gunshot when they have the means of de- 

 struction at hand. He is, in truth, a sad depredator, 

 although not, as Knapp says, without any redeeming vir- 

 tues to compensate us for the havoc which he commits on 

 our cherry and other fruit-trees. Neville Wood, who 

 adopts a name by which the bird is popularly known, thus 

 enters on its defence against the sweeping charge to which 

 it is generally considered obnoxious : 



It is disputed by ornithologists, whether or not the Hedge Coal- 

 hood is pernicious to the interests of the gardener, by destroying the 

 buds of the fruit trees. In the 'Ornithologist's Text-book, ' p. 61, I 

 have expressed an opinion in favour of our lovely songster, and sub- 

 sequent researches have only served to confirm that opinion. That 

 the birds do devour a tolerably large portion of the buds of our fruit 

 trees, there can be no doubt ; but then it is most probable that only 

 those buds which are infested with insects are attacked, and if so, its 

 services in the gardens must be incalculable. In confinement it will 

 eat any buds, but in its wild state, it will be observed that the vege- 

 table portion is rejected, and the enclosed insect or grub is the 

 desired object of their search. That such is the case, I have ascer- 

 tained almost to a certainty, from finding that some trees are passed 

 over without the slightest injury, while others are not quitted as long 

 as a bud remains ; and others again undergo a selection. I have re- 

 peatedly observed it examining the buds with great care, and am 

 convinced that they do not indiscriminately destroy the produce of 

 the trees. It has been remarked by some, that the finest trees are 

 usually selected as the scene of its depredations. But this, if any- 



