282 OUR ^'ATIVE SONGSTERS. 



flowered plant, the whitlow grass, which grows in 

 such numbers there ; now it is away to the road- 

 side, to peck at the young buds and seeds of the 

 groundsel or chickweed, which may be seen already 

 offering their green buds, and small blossoms ; or 

 it hunts among the young green blade of the corn- 

 field, for the ivy-leaved speedwell, whose blue 

 flowers are even, in early spring, already pass- 

 ing into seed. The author of the Journal of a 

 Naturalist says too, that the cliafiinches will com- 

 pletely deflorate tlie spikes or whorls of the com- 

 mon red archangel, or dead nettle, which is one of 

 our earliest blooming plants, and is to be seen, late 

 in Febmary and during the next two months, 

 under every hedge. " At this season," our author 

 says, *' they may be seen with their little mouths 

 quite full of the green seeds of this nettle." He 

 adds too that they are, at the same period, sad 

 plunderers of the kitchen garden, drawing up 

 most dexterously young turnips and radishes 

 as soon as they make their appearance ; though 

 after this time all depredations cease, and the rest 

 of their days are spent in sportive innocence. 

 They are among the birds too which peck at our 

 crocuses and polyanthuses, and spoil their beauty. 



