Liming Chaffinches 241 



come so accustomed to passers-by that tliey took no notice 

 unless purposely disturbed. Several times I stood under 

 an oak bough that projected across the sward by the road- 

 side, with a nightingale perched on it overhead straining 

 his throat. The bough was some twelve feet high, and in 

 full view of every one. This road was constructed about a 

 hundred years ago ; and it would be interesting to learn if 

 a country lane preceded it, well sheltered on both sides by 

 thick hedges. Birds are fond of such places, and, having 

 once formed the habit of coming there, would continue to 

 do so after the highway was laid down. 



It has been stated that the flocks of chaffinches which 

 may be seen in winter consist entirely of females. Male 

 chaffinches are rarely seen : they have migrated, or in 

 some other manner disappeared. Yet so soon as the spring 

 comes on the males make their presence known by calling 

 their defiant notes from every elm along the road. Last 

 spring [1878] I fell into conversation with a fowler. He 

 had a cock chaffinch in a cage covered with a black cloth, 

 except on one side. The cage was placed on the sward 

 beside the road, and near it a stuffed cock bird stood on the 

 grass. Two pieces of whalebone smeared with birdlime 

 formed a pointed arch over the stuffed chaffinch. The live 

 decoy bird in the cage from time to time uttered a few 

 notes, which were immediately answered by a wild bird in 

 the elms overhead. These notes are a challenge ; and the 

 bird in the tree supposes them to proceed from the stuffed 

 bird in the grass, and descends to fight him, when, as the 

 deceived bird alights, his wings or feet come in contact 

 with the whalebone sometimes he perches on it and the 

 lime holds him fast. 



At that season (March) the cock birds have an irresis- 

 tible inclination to do battle ; they are ceaselessly challeng- 



