236 THE CHAFFINCH. 



ants' eggs and meal worms is the best preservative. Chaf- 

 finches thus reared, become exceedingly tame, and will sing 

 at the word of command, or when invited to it by friendly 

 motions of the head and hand. Their docility in learning an 

 artificial song is much increased if they are kept in a dark 

 place, and not brought to the window before May. By this 

 means, even Finches which have acquired a bad natural song, 

 may be induced to learn one considered by the amateur more 

 perfect. The whole secret of obtaining a good songster, is to 

 keep the cage in some dark place, where there is nothing to 

 distract the bird's attention from its song. Instances have 

 been known, in which Chaffinches have paired with Canaries, 

 or even Yellowhammers. Some persons, who wish to dis- 

 tinguish the Garden from the Wood Finch, as a separate 

 species, assert that the eggs of the former are whitish ; the 

 latter, greenish in colour. This mistake arises from a change 

 which the eggs undergo in the process of incubation ; as, after 

 a certain period, all become whitish alike. 



Diseases. The obstruction of the rump gland, and diar- 

 rhoea, are the diseases to which the Chaffinch is most subject. 

 The remedies for the former have been given in the Introduc- 

 tion ; the latter may be relieved by putting a rusty nail, or a 

 little saffron, in the bird's water. 



To prevent the Chaffinch from becoming lame and gouty, it 

 is often necessary to remove the scales on the legs with a pen- 

 knife ; an operation which requires considerable care. This 

 bird also very frequently becomes blind, especially if fed too 

 exclusively on hemp seed. This, however, has no pernicious in- 

 fluence on their song ; for as the disease comes on gradually, they 

 leave both to find their food, and hop about the perches as well as 

 ever. If well taken care of, the Chaffinch lives for twenty years. 



Mode of Taking. By means of a good decoy the Chaffinch 

 may be lured into the area or barn-floor trap in autumn from 

 Michaelmas to Martinmas; and in spring, throughout the 

 whole of March. In winter the birds which have remained 

 behind, or arrived before the rest, may be caught by a net in 

 open spaces strewed with oats. In spring they are generally 

 caught by means of decoy birds fastened near limed twigs. 

 These utter their cry, Yak, yak! Fink, fink! and the wild 

 birds in search of a mate, approach and are caught. This mode 

 of taking may be practised as long as these birds are on the 



