CHIFFCHAFF. 437 



very extraordinary how birds having such totally different notes could have 

 been confounded together for so long. The song of the Chiffchaff might 

 be confounded with that of the Siberian Chiffchaff, but bears no resem- 

 blance whatever to the song of either the \Vood-Wren or Willow- Wren. 

 It is a loud unmusical double note, chiff, chaff; tsy, tsa; till, tell; chink, 

 chunk, or whatever other monosyllables the listener may fancy it resembles. 

 Occasionally a third or even a fourth note, slightly differing from the usual 

 note, is introduced, but quite as monotonous and unmusical. If these notes 

 were not confined to the spring and summer, and apparently discontinued 

 during the winter, as are also the similar notes of the Siberian Chiffchaff, 

 one might be inclined to regard them as call-notes, and not of the nature 

 of a song at all. Much confusion arises, and many errors are initiated or 

 propagated, by the fact that ornithologists copy each other, instead of going 

 to Nature for their facts. Most of the accounts of the habits of birds in 

 Dresser's ' Birds of Europe ' are condensed from Naumann's ' Birds of 

 Germany/ and in many cases are incorrectly translated from the writings 

 of that great field-ornithologist ; but perhaps the most remarkable instance 

 of this kind of ornithological composition is to be found in Morris's de- 

 scription of the song of the Chiffchaff, which is borrowed from Meyer, and 

 spoiled in the borrowing. Meyer says : " Its note, though it cannot be 

 called a song, is not altogether unmusical ; it consists sometimes of only 

 two notes, which have been likened to chiff, chaff, whence it has derived its 

 name ; but we have heard its cry frequently extended to three notes, each 

 differing from the other, as if it were chiff, cheff, chaff, singing amongst 

 the tops of trees like the chime of little bells/' If Meyer had lived in 

 Sheffield in the days of cast-steel bells, some excuse might have been found 

 for his far-fetched simile. Morris seems, however, to have been quite 

 fascinated with this poetical image, and enlarges upon it. Because Meyer 

 says that the notes are not altogether unmusical, and that its cry is fre- 

 quently extended to three notes, each differing from the other, Morris 

 generalizes upon the facts, and writes " the song " is " melodious and 

 varied ;" and, as if anxious to betray the source of his information, adds : 

 ' ' It comes from the tops of the trees with a ringing sound, reminding one 

 of the faint chime of the distant village church bell/' a by no mean* uii- 

 poetical version of a fellow naturalist's description, but, applied to the clear, 

 loud, monotonous, and, in comparison with the more melodious songs of its 

 nearest kinsmen, somewhat harsh notes of the Chiffchaff, to be described 

 only as unmitigated nonsense. The alarm-note of the Chiffchaff is a whit 

 not unlike that of the Willow- Wren, but not so loud, somewhat more pro- 

 longed and slightly shriller. A third note is often heard, something like 

 tr-r-r. ** 



In its habits the Chiffchaff does not differ much from the Willow-Wren. 

 It is quite as active and restless, but perhaps is more often seen near the 



