THE CHAFFINCH. 135 



This bird appears in some instances to thrive well in confine- 

 ment. I lately saw a beautiful male in Penkill Castle, Ayrshire, 

 which was taken from the nest seventeen years ago. It was then 

 only covered with down, but through careful attention grew to 

 be a strong and healthy bird, and now continues so, making the 

 walls of the room in which its cage is placed ring with its oft- 

 repeated song. Miss Boyd has politely informed me that her 

 favourite has always been fed with great care upon a variety of 

 things, such as meat, fish, seeds, insects, etc., and has never 

 been subjected to any sudden change of temperature warmth 

 and variety of food being the chief means used to keep the bird 

 in perfect health. 



I have noticed in Forfarshire and other counties in the north- 

 east of Scotland, a great acquisition to the numbers of this species 

 in the spring season. About the middle of April this year (1869), 

 every hedgerow was swarming with Chaffinches, all in clear and 

 brilliant plumage. They assembled in groups in the centre of the 

 common highway, to pick up their slender living; and as I drove 

 fifteen or twenty miles of road, I could not help observing their 

 unusual numbers. 



The shilfa, as it is called in Scotland, appears in a remarkable 

 degree to be susceptible of kindness. I recollect, when spending 

 a night in the house of a gentleman resident in Forfarshire, being 

 very much interested with the tameness shewn by some Chaffinches 

 as I sauntered in the policies before breakfast. Two birds espe- 

 cially, a male and female, flew down from a large spreading tree 

 near the house, and tried to gain my attention by hopping close 

 to where I stood, and on stooping down and extending my hand, 

 they both eagerly came forward and looked inquisitively into the 

 empty loof in evident disappointment. On speaking to my host 

 about the birds, he informed me that he had induced them so far 

 to set aside their usual timidity, as to come into the breakfast- 

 room on the window being raised, and fly to the table, on which 

 they usually got a bit of cake or some other luxury. This tame- 

 ness had continued several seasons, and on one occasion the female 

 brought her five newly-fledged young ones to the window, leaving 

 them on the outer ledge until she paid her usual visit to the 

 hospitable board for something to give them. 



Sometime ago I was favoured with a communication on this 

 subject from the pen of one whose writings commend themselves 



