THE FINCH FAMILY. 79 



snares of the army of bird-catchers on the South 

 Downs. The amount of small birds captured to 

 supply the bird-markets is almost 'beyond belief. A 

 bird-catcher with whom I had friendly relations for 

 some time, and the accuracy of whose statements 

 and observations I had no reason to doubt, gave 

 me the number of dozens of birds caught and sold 

 by him. He showed me his book where these 

 numbers were duly entered, and side by side the 

 receipts from them. I had much enjoyment in 

 this man's society. Finding me to be a great 

 lover of birds, but not a bird-catcher, he taught 

 me all the secrets of his trade without reserve. 

 These I keep religiously to myself. One day he 

 told me of a strange bird he had picked up from 

 the tangle on the beach. It was a turnstone 

 I recognised it at once from his accurate description, 

 and my friend was as much surprised as pleased 

 when I presented him with a portrait of the bird 

 I had painted for him. That completely won his 

 heart. 



" Twink-twink, twing-twing, twink-twink ! spink- 

 spink-spink ! " and then a joyous little song. There 

 sits the singer, the handsomest chaffinch of them 



