CHAFFINCH. 57 



Two broods are hatched in the year. The first is usually 

 abroad by the beginning or middle of May; the second by 

 the end of July. 



The nest of the Chaffinch is built on fruit or other trees in 

 orchards and gardens, in the fields and hedges, and in the 

 latter themselves also, occasionally, against a wall. The late 

 Mr. Thompson, of Belfast, has recorded one which was placed 

 in a whin bush; and another, which came under the observation 

 of Mr. J. R. Garrett, which was built against the stem of a 

 pine tree, and rested on one of the branches, to which it was 

 bound with a piece of fine whip-cord: this was taken once 

 round the branch and its ends were firmly interwoven in the 

 materials of the nest. It is commonly placed from six to 

 twelve feet from the ground sometimes higher; it is rarely 

 completed before the end of April. While it is being fabricated, 

 the birds shew great disquietude at the approach of any one, 

 by continued notes of alarm, and actions depictive of uneasiness. 

 The nest of one pair has been known to have been built in a 

 bean rick. The male bird assists in the work of incubation. 

 The hen bird when sitting is strongly tenacious of her place, 

 and is not easily frightened from it, sometimes allowing herself 

 to be captured sooner than forsake her charge; in one instance 

 she has been found frozen to death at her post. 



The nest is truly a beautiful piece of workmanship, compact 

 and neat in the highest degree. It is usually so well adapted 

 to the colour of the place where it is built, as to elude 

 detection from any chance passer by close scrutiny is required 

 to discover it. It is therefore variously made, according to 

 the nature of the elements of construction at hand. Some 

 are built of grasses, stalks of plants, and small roots, compacted 

 with, the scales of bark and wool, and lined with hair, with 

 perhaps a few feathers; the outside being entirely covered with 

 tree moss and lichens, taken from the tree itself in which it 

 is placed; the assimilation being thus rendered complete. 

 Others are without any wool, its place being supplied by 

 thistle-down and spider-cots. In fact the bird accommodates 

 itself to circumstances, or rather circumstances to its require- 

 ments, using such materials as are at hand. The upper edge 

 of the nest is generally very neatly woven with slender straws, 

 and the width of the open part is often not more than an 

 inch and a half, but usually an inch and three quarters; the 

 whole is firmly fixed between the branches to which some of 

 its component parts are attached for the purpose. 



