602 FRINGILLID^. 



THE BULLFINCH is too common a bird not to be exceed- 

 ingly well known, and is found in most parts of England, 

 but particularly those which are wooded and cultivated, 

 preferring gardens, orchards, hedgerows, plantations, and 

 small woods, to bleak and exposed tracks of common, waste, 

 or moor. It is rather shy and retiring in its habits, and is 

 seldom seen associated with any but its own species. In 

 confinement this bird appears to have an extraordinary 

 appetite ; and at large is found to be particulary destruc- 

 tive in gardens throughout the spring of the year, devour- 

 ing the flower buds of the various sorts of gooseberries, 

 cherries, and plums, in succession, to such an extent, as to 

 destroy, if unmolested, all prospect of any crop of fruit for 

 that season. The author of the Journal of a Naturalist 

 says, " In all instances I think it will be observed, that 

 such buds as produce leaves only are rejected, and those 

 which contain the embryo of the future blossom selected : 

 by this procedure, though the tree is prevented from pro- 

 ducing fruit, yet the foliage is expanded as usual ; but had 

 the leaves the lungs of the plant been indiscriminately 

 consumed, the tree would probably have died, or its summer 

 growth been materially injured; we may thus lose our fruit 

 this year, yet the tree survives, and hope lives too, that we 

 may be more fortunate the next." Mr. Selby, in the first 

 volume of the Naturalist, remarks, " With me the Bull- 

 finches are very destructive, particularly to the plum trees, 

 apples, medlars, &c. It is the blossom buds that are chiefly 

 preferred. I have dissected dozens of these birds, and have 

 never found any remains of insects in the crop or stomach. 

 They are here very numerous, being fostered by the exten- 

 sive plantations I have made ; and I am obliged, reluctantly 

 I must say, to make war on them every spring." From 

 various authorities it appears that the Bullfinch is a more 



