OP SELEORNE. G? 



For many years past I have observed that towards 

 Christmas vast flocks of chaffinches have appeared in 

 the fields ; many more, I used to think, than could be 

 hatched in any one neighbourhood. But, when I came 

 to observe them more narrowly, I was amazed to find 

 that they seemed to me to be almost all hens. I com- 

 municated my suspicions to some intelligent neighbours, 

 who, after taking pains about the matter, jdeclared that 

 they also thought them all mostly females; at least 

 fifty to one. This extraordinary occurrence brought to 

 my mind the remark of Linnaeus ; that " before winter 

 all their hen chaffinches migrate through Holland into 

 Italy." Now I want to know, from some curious per- 

 son in the north, whether there are any large flocks of 

 these finches with them in the winter, and of which sex 

 they mostly consist? For, from such intelligence, one 

 might be able to judge whether our female flocks migrate 

 from the other end of the island, or whether they come 

 over to us from the continent 1 . 



We have, in the winter, vast flocks of the common 

 linnets ; more, I think, than can be bred in any one 

 district. These, I observe, when the spring advances, 

 assemble on some tree in the sunshine, and join all in a 

 gentle sort of chirping, as if they were about to break 

 up their winter quarters, and betake themselves to their 

 proper summer homes 2 . It is well known, at least, that 



1 Concerning the congregation of cock chaffinches in the winter season, 

 it may be observed that such is not an invariable habit. A pair of 

 chaffinches have frequented my window for food during three winters 

 without interruption, and have grown so tame as to take it while I stand 

 almost touching them. Having no difficulty in procuring sustenance, they 

 continue as paired birds during the whole winter, and in last June and 

 July they used to carry the food away for their young. A pair of robins 

 and hedgewarblers do the same, always making their nest at a very small 

 distance ; and the hedgewarbler even brings its young to the window to 

 feed them there. W. H. 



2 Linnets flock in September, and continue to congregrate till March. 

 At this season they are termed branchers, and assemble in vast numbers : 

 but they are broken up towards winter into smaller (locks, in which the 

 sexes are separate. In March they again assemble, when they are 



