406 NETHER LOCHABER. 



self-reliantly as its companion hawthorns, hollies, and hazels. The 

 fuchsia is probably avoided for the same reason as the lilac. It 

 also exudes in spring and early summer a viscid secretion almost as 

 " sticky " and disagreeable, if you run your hand along a twig, 

 as that of the lilac itself ; and, as we have already said, anything of 

 this kind is an utter abomination to the Insessores or perchers, 

 who are as particular about their feet and toes as ever was dainty 

 and delicate belle about the state of her hands and fingers. 



Such of our readers as care about these things, and have the 

 opportunity, may very profitably and pleasantly give an occasional 

 half-hour to the doings of our song-birds at this season. Their 

 little love quarrels and rivalries are very amusing. All this fore- 

 noon a pair of cock chaffinches have been bickering and quarrelling 

 after their fashion along the hedgerows and amongst the trees 

 immediately opposite our study window. The casus belli is of 

 course a female, handsome and coy, and fully conscious, you may 

 believe, of her own value, who keeps flitting about at a little 

 distance, proud and pleased, doubtless, to be the object of rivalry 

 between a pair of such gay and lively chaffinch beaux. Varium et 

 mutabile, she has evidently great difficulty in making up her mind 

 as to which of the suitors she shall select ; her state of indecision 

 being probably akin to that of the renowned Captain Macheath in 

 the Beggar's Opera : 



" How happy could I be with either, 



Were t'other dear charmer away ! 

 But while you thus tease me together, 

 To neither a word will I say." 



The rival birds are in their gayest spring plumage; and when 

 tired of mere vulgar scolding and abuse, they try to sing each other 

 down ; and then it is that they are well worth not merely the 

 listening to, but the looking at. Directly opposite the gean-tree 

 near the top of which the lady chaffinch sits preening her feathers, 



