294 OUR NATIVE SONGSTERS. 



yellow colour, with streaks and spots of dark reddish 

 brown, which are thicker at the larger end. 



The chaffinch is a British resident, but in the 

 more northern countries of Europe it is a migratory 

 bird, and numbers come during winter to our land, 

 and join the flocks of native chaffinches. They 

 have been said by various naturalists to migrate in 

 diffisrent companies, some flocks consisting wholly 

 of male, and others of female birds, but this point 

 is not yet fully ascertained. 



This bird is very common in the neighbourhood 

 of Rome, and great numbers are taken there during 

 the month of October, with other small birds, 

 which are a favourite article of diet with the 

 Italians. C. L. Bonaparte, prince of IMusignano, 

 says, that the chaffinches are taken in much larger 

 proportion than any other bird, at Paretajo and 

 Roccolo ; 500 chaffinches being, according to this 

 writer, captured to every 80 linnets, 65 goldfinches, 

 80 green grosbeaks or greenfinches, &c. &e. The 

 Italians call the bird Franguello, Frang^ielio, and 

 Sjnncime. It is the Pinson of the old French writers; 

 and Belon, who ^vrote his folio volume in 1555, men- 

 tions its powerful voice, and says that it was kept 

 in a cage for its singing. It is now in various parts 



