294 BRITISH SONG BIRDS. 



materials at your hand, and all the tools for use that could be in- 

 vented, you would not at the end of that time be able to form any- 

 thing half so neat and beautiful. The eggs, too, which seldom 

 exceed five nor less than four, are of a pretty reddish-brown colour, 

 marked with dark spots at the large end. 



Chaffinches build in hedge- rows, and the young ones are hatched 

 about the beginning of May ; they may be taken when about twelve 

 or fourteen days old, and should then be fed upon the crumb of white 

 bread and rape-seed soaked in water. The males may be distinguished 

 from the females, even at that early age, through the breast being 

 more tinged with red, the wings blacker, and the lines crossing them 

 whiter, and from the circle round the eyes being of a deeper yellow 

 colour; if you are uncertain respecting the sex, pluck out some of 

 the breast- feathers (they will be renewed in a fortnight), and if the 

 red tint is visible, you may be certain that it is a male bird ; if other- 

 wise, a female. The plumage of a full-grown male chaffinch is ex- 

 tremely beautiful ; its forehead is black, beak blue in the spring, but 

 after moulting and during the winter, white ; the crown of the head, 

 and the hinder part and sides of the neck, bluish ash colour ; the 

 sides of the head, the throat, fore parts of the neck, and the breast, 

 are of a vinous red ; belly, thighs, and vent white, lightly tinged 

 with red ; the back is reddish brown, changing to green on the rump ; 

 the greater and lesser coverts of the wings are tipped with white, the 

 bastard wing and quill feathers are black, edged with yellow ; tail 

 black, the outermost feather edged with white, and legs dusky colour. 

 The female differs considerably from him, her head, neck, arid upper 

 part of her back, are greyish brown ; the under parts of her body 

 dusky white, slightly tinged with reddish grey on the breast. Chaf- 

 finches frequent copses, orchards, and forests, and old birds and 

 branchers may be taken with clap-nets in June or July. Rape-seed 

 is that on which they will thrive best, and to which a few corns of 

 hemp-seed may be sometimes added to incite them to sing; chick- 

 weed and other green food they also like. In Germany, chaffinches 

 are so highly valued that very high prices are given for them if they 

 possess a fine song ; a common workman will give sixteen shillings 

 for a bird whose notes he considers good, and will frequently live 

 upon bread and water until he can save money to purchase the 

 desired object. 



THE GOLDFINCH. 



This beautifully-marked bird is a 

 favourite with everybody. It is 

 such a pretty thing to look at, and 

 has so many graceful attitudes when 

 jumping about in its cage ; or, as we 

 once heard a plain countrywoman 

 1 say, who was a great lover of 

 birds, " It has such a many win- 

 ning ways with it, that one can't 

 help liking it, if even we try." 

 Then, to say nothing of its singing- 



