THE WniNCHAT. 179 



perched on the summit of one of the branches. 

 Bechstein compares it to thatof thegoklfincli. The 

 song gi'eets us at early morning, and after having 

 poured forth its strains during ahnost the wliole 

 day, the furze-chat still sings it during twiliglit, 

 and sometimes even at night. Mr. Sweet, whose 

 successful training of many of our wild songsters 

 is well known, was very fond of the whincliat. 

 He had one which he had reared from the nest. 

 It would sing through the livelong day and during 

 the night, and liad so good an ear that it would 

 most successfully imitate the notes of several other 

 birds. It sang the songs of the whitethroat, red- 

 start, willow-warbler, missel-thrush and nightin- 

 gale. So fond was it of the notes of the missel- 

 thrush, and so clearly did it imitate them, from 

 hearmg one in a garden near, that the harsh loud 

 sounds became unbearable in a room. " It was 

 certainly," says Mr. Sweet, " the best bird I ever 

 kept of any kind, singing the whole year through, 

 and varying its song continually. Its only fault 

 was its strong voice. At last our favourite was 

 turned out of its cage by a mischievous servant, 

 on a cold winter day, when we were from home 

 for about an hour. As we could not entice it 



