FBINGILLIDJE. 173 



extent on insects, and their young ones are almost 

 entirely fed upon this latter food. The gardener, 

 I think, does not complain of the Buntings much, as 

 they do not frequent his garden, keeping more to 

 hedge-rows, lanes and homesteads. 



Family FKINGILLIDJE. 



The Fringillidse, or Finches, the family I have 

 now arrived at, are not only numerous in species, 

 there being as many as nineteen recognized British, 

 out of which I have heen able to notice fourteen 

 as Somersetshire birds, but many of the species are 

 very numerous : from their number and from the 

 fact that they are all more or less grain- and seed- 

 eating birds, their influence on the garden and the 

 farm is considerable. 



CHAFFINCH, Fringilla ccelebs. The Chaffinch, or 

 as it is sometimes locally called the " Whitefinch," 

 is perhaps the most numerous of all our small birds, 

 the well-known House Sparrow even not excepted. 

 It is resident here throughout the year, and does 

 not, as far as I can make out, receive any addition to 

 its numbers during the winter, although at that time 

 it flocks more, and consequently its numbers appear 

 greater than when it is spread over the country 

 singly 01 in pairs. Being, like the rest of its family, 



Q3 



