42 CHAFFINCHES LINNETS. 



account of my living in the most southerly county ; 

 so now I may return the compliment, and expect 

 to have my curiosity gratified by your living 

 much more to the north. 



For many years past I have observed, that 

 towards Christmas, vast flocks of chaffinches have 

 appeared in the fields many more, I used to 

 think, than could be hatched in any one neigh- 

 bourhood. But, when I came to observe them 

 more narrowly, I was amazed to find that they 

 seemed to me to be almost all hens. I commu- 

 nicated my suspicions to some intelligent neigh- 

 bours, who, after taking pains about the matter, 

 declared that they also thought them all mostly 

 females ; at least fifty to one. This extraordinary 

 occurrence brought to my mind the remark of 

 Linnseus, that, " before winter, all their hen 

 chaffinches migrate through Holland into Italy." 

 Now I want to know, from some curious person 

 in the north, whether there are any large flocks 

 of these finches with them in the winter, and of 

 which sex they mostly consist ? For, from such 

 intelligence, one might be able to judge whether 

 our female flocks migrate from the other end of 

 the island, or whether they come over to us from 

 the continent. 



We have, in the winter, vast flocks of the 

 common linnets, more, I think, than can be bred 

 in any one district. These, I observe, when the 

 spring advances, assemble on some tree in the 

 sunshine, and join all in a gentle sort of chirping, 

 as if they were about to break up their winter 

 quarters, and betake themselves to their proper 

 summer homes. It is well known, at least, that 

 the swallows and the fieldfares do congregate 

 with a gentle twittering before they make their 

 respective departure. 



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