THE BULLFINCH. 325 



the rest, and nearly as large as they would have 

 been had the flower been suffered to open, were 

 even in that state curiously and beautifully appa- 

 rent ; and on a careful examination beneath a 

 microscope, no vestige of anything like disease or 

 insects could be discovered. Beneath the trees 

 themselves, the ground was thickly strewed with 

 the parts of the flowers rejected by these nice and 

 accurate dissectors, which parts invariably con- 

 sisted of the calyx and petals yet remaining at- 

 tached together. It appears to me that the buds 

 are destroyed for the sake of the interior parts of 

 the fmit and flowers, by these enemies to trees of 

 the Prunus and Pyrus kinds; as cowslips and 

 primroses are by the other birds, for the purpose 

 of devouring their minute and yet imperfect 

 seeds." A pair of bullfinches have been known 

 also to strip a considerable sized plum-tree of 

 every bud in the course of two days. Bishop 

 ]'4lant notices its feeding on the fruits. 



" Deep in the thorns' entangled maze, 

 Or where the fruit-trees' thickening sprays 

 Yield a secure and close retreat, 

 The dusky bullfinch plans her seat. 

 There, where you see the cluster'd boughs 

 Put forth the opening bud, her spouse. 



