160 THE CHAFFINCH. 



stow the name of u coelebs" upon this species. In 

 Gloucestershire and some of the neighbouring 

 counties, they are little known by the name of 

 chaffinches ; but, from the constant repetition of 

 one note, when alarmed or in danger, they have 

 acquired the name of " t winks," and " pinks ;" 

 yet during incubation the song of the male bird, 

 though without any variation of tune, is very pleas- 

 ing in the general concert, as most vernal notes, 

 if not harsh and wearisome from monotony, are. 

 These birds make sad havock with some of our 

 spring flowers, and the polyanthus in March, in our 

 sheltered borders, is very commonly stripped of all 

 its blossoms by these little plunderers, I suppose to 

 obtain the immature seeds at the base of their tubes. 

 They will deflorate, too, the spikes or whorls of 

 the little red archangel (lamium purpureum) ; and 

 we see them feeding in the waste places where this 

 plant is found in the spring, their little mouths 

 being filled with the green seeds of this dead nettle. 

 At this period, too, they are sad plunderers in our 

 kitchen gardens, and most dexterously draw up our 

 young turnips and radishes as soon as they appear 

 upon the surface of the soil ; but after this all 

 depredation ceases, the rest of their days being past 

 in sportive innocence. I have observed these birds., 

 in very hot seasons, to wet their eggs, by discharg- 

 ing moisture from their bills upon them, or at least 

 perform an operation that appeared to be so. 



We still continue here that very ancient custom 

 of giving parish rewards for the destruction of 



