THE COMMON BULLFINCH. 321 



The Common Bullfinch (Domherre, Sw. ; Dompap* 

 Norw. ; Pyrrhula vulgaris, Temm.) was much more abun- 

 dant with us in the winter than in the summer. A few pair, 

 however, nested in the woods about Ronnum. This bird is 

 principally confined to the more central and northern parts 

 of Scandinavia. It has been seen in the vicinity of the 

 polar circle ; but its limits to the northward seem not to be 

 clearly ascertained. Barr-skogar are its favourite resorts in 

 the summer. It is not supposed to migrate. 



When speaking of the musical powers of the bullfinch, 

 M. von Winckell mentions a curious circumstance. " I 

 have seen one of these birds, a male, that so soon as a man 

 approached his cage immediately commenced singing; but 

 on the contrary, he would not utter a single note if a woman 

 sung to him, however beautiful her voice might be. Even the 

 lady who was in the habit of feeding him, could not induce 

 him to sing before she clothed herself in the garb of a man." 



According to M. von Wright, the bullfinch, in parts of 

 Finland, is taken in great numbers by means of the Mjarde, 

 spoken of in the chapter on fishing devices. In places 

 where it resorts, berries are strewed upon the surface of the 

 snow, and when the birds are collected in sufficient numbers, 

 one places the net on the spot, concealing it partly from view 

 by several pine-boughs. Clusters of berries are fastened just 

 within the entrance of the net, and others are scattered round 

 about. In certain districts of Sweden it is captured not 

 only by means of lime-twigs and other devices, but by the 



* Both the Swedish and Norwegian designation literally means a canon of 

 the church. " Perhaps so called in Popish times," says Pontoppidan, " for its 

 melodious voice, resembling an organ, though not loud enough to fill the choir 

 of a cathedral, where the canons sing their Horse." 



VOL. II. Y 



