134. THE CHAFFINCH 



places in Thuringia. It is composed of four strains, and to be perfect 

 ought to resemble a hautboy, the two last syllables articulating " weingeh.'"' 

 This song has never been heard from a wild chaffinch, but is one acciden- 

 tally produced in the house, and endeavoured to be propagated by education 

 2. The bad wine song is not in itself disagreeable, but it is so named when 

 compared with the former. It is composed of three strains, of which tho 

 penultimate ought to sound zap five times, and the two last syllables arti- 

 culate " weingeh." When once a wild chaffinch has been heard to utter 

 this in Germany it is not long ere it is caught. 3. The sharp wine song is not 

 ended by " weingeh," but li weingieh." It is subdivided into the com- 

 mon sharp, such as is sometimes heard in the woods, and the Ruhl sharp, 

 which is an entirely artificial song, confined to Ruhl and a few other vil- 

 lages of Thuringia. It has but two strains, of which the first syllables 

 ought to sound as though flowing into each other, and the penultimate to 

 have an accent. 



4. The Brautigam, or bridegroom song, is also divided into good and 

 bad : the good is only heard in the house, and consists of two simple strains ; 

 It begins piano, afterwards forte, and, continuing crescendo, ends in the 

 most brilliant sound. After the double trill of the Hartz it appears to mr 

 ear the finest of all. The bad is occasionally heard in the woods, and is 

 composed of three strains ; but though not devoid of sweetness, does not 

 please so much as the former. 



5. The Double Trill is formed of two long strains, divided by a 

 cadenced pause, which is named the shake. They distinguish, 1. the 

 common, subdivided into four; a, the strong, b, the clear, c, the long, 

 and d, the short. These are heard sometimes in the woods and 

 orchards ; but chaffinches that sing a or b soon become the prey of our 

 bird-catchers. 2. The double trill of lambach * ; this is only to be ac- 

 quired in the house, and is so deep and powerful that one can scarcely 

 conceive how the larynx of so small a bird can produce such sounds. It 

 begins piano, and swelling its tones successively in crescendo, makes of the 

 trilling a strain of five piercing tones, afterwards repeats '* pfaff" " four or 

 five times, and ends by dwelling on " Rudidia." A chaffinch that pos- 

 sesses this song, either alone, or united with the good bridegroom's song, 

 such as are educated in lambach, sells here for eighteen French francs. 



6. The Gutjahr, or good year song, is so named from tlio two last 

 syllables, and is also divided, 1. into the common, that has but t\vo strains, 

 of which the second ought to roll five times before articulating " gutjahr." 

 It is not uncommon in our woods. 2. The good year of the Hartz, which has 

 been acquired in the house, and consists of two very singular strains, in 

 uiy opinion not very agreeable. Chaffinches are very rare now which sing 

 this, united to that of the wine song of Ruhl, or the sharp song, and their 

 price is consequently high. They are rarely found but at Ersenach and 

 Ruhl. 



* It is only eight years since this song was accidentally produced. A shoemaker of 

 lambach had given a chaffinch that sung the double trill five young scholars, one of 

 which struck out for itself this peculiar warbling. From this others were taught, so 

 that amateurs may have the pleasure of hearing at home s long that is now in fashion, 

 and pleases many amateurs. 



