164 THE CHAFFINCH. 



autumn, and then commences its song, when most 

 others of our feathered choristers are silent. An 

 apparent contention in harmony ensues among 

 them ; at length the rivals approach, menace, and 

 fight with a seeming vexation at each other's 

 prowess. The song of no one bird is, perhaps, more 

 observed and remembered than the autumnal and, 

 at times, melancholy sounding farewell of the robin. 

 The chaffinch (fringilla ccelebs) appears to be 

 universally spread throughout the Englisli coun- 

 ties, and the male bird is remarkable for the clean- 

 liness and trimness of his plumage, which, without 

 having any great variety or splendour of colouring, 

 is so composed and arranged, and the white on his 

 wings so brilliant, as to render him a very beautiful 

 little creature. The female is as remarkable for the 

 quiet, unobtrusive tintings of her dress ; and, when 

 she lies crouching on her nest, elegantly formed of 

 lichens from the bark of the apple tree, and faded 

 mosses, she would hardly be perceptible, but for her 

 little bright eyes, that peep with suspicious vigi- 

 lance from her covert. With us the sexes do not 

 separate at any period of the year, the flocks fre- 

 quenting our barn doors and homesteads in winter 

 being composed of both. In the northern parts of 

 Europe, however, the females are said to migrate 

 to milder regions, which induced Linnaeus to bestow 

 the name of " ccelebs" upon this species. In Glou- 

 cestershire and some of the neighbouring counties, 



