THE FINCH FAMILY. 85 



Downs, capture them in thousands at the time of 

 the out- and in-coming migrations. The men are 

 well acquainted with a' variety of goldfinch known 

 by the name of " cheval." These birds I have seen 

 frequently. One which I had in a cage showed but 

 little difference in colour and habits to those gener- 

 ally caught, though it was very much larger in size. 



This large variety is well known in the Southern 

 counties as the " cheval goldfinch." They are not 

 as numerous at any time as their smaller brethren. 

 They used to be much prized by the bird-catchers, 

 who would ask half as much again for a cheval in 

 good plumage as for any of the other birds. The 

 price was not grudged, for they were fine specimens. 



My own opinion is, that they are visitors from the 

 Continent, where, under favourable circumstances, 

 they have developed to their utmost limit. The fact 

 that they are to a certain extent local strengthens 

 this theory. The line of the Southern counties 

 seems to be their limit, and the extent of their 

 travelling, beyond which boundary I have never 

 found them. It is to be hoped that in time the 

 migrations of our most common birds will be more 

 systematically worked out than they are at present. 



