MAY MUSES 121 



obtain one for stuffing. One I barbarously shot 

 while it was singing ; and it fell, but shortly rose 

 again, its thigh only being broken ; and while 

 clinging on a branch, with the fractured limb hang- 

 ing loose, it again sang its song, though in the 

 middle of the strain another bird of the same kind 

 attacked it. I was then fortunately able to kill it 

 outright and have killed none since. The chiff- 

 chaff does not sing his ordinary song when fight- 

 ing. I have often seen the nightingale fighting, 

 but never singing at that time. 



Finches and buntings commonly twitter in com- 

 bat ; and the chaffinch constantly utters his well- 

 known cry " tink " or " fink." The greenfinch 

 utters a low rough cry, which may be suggested 

 as " gup, gup, gup ; " and the common sparrow 

 gives a similar cry not only when actually fighting 

 but also before, as a warning or threat. The 

 sparrow is, however, one of the most silent of 

 fighters, notwithstanding that noisy clustering to 

 which we are all so accustomed, whether in town 

 or country, but which is, nevertheless, not an 

 incident of combat, but an affair of love. It will 

 always be found that these assemblies consist of 



