18 FAMILIAR WILL* BIRDS. 



to endure all the hardships inherent to a northern 

 winter, yet few birds seem to treat the severity of 

 our climate with such cheerful gaiety as the trim-built 

 Chaffinch. Always neat and clean, whenever an opening 

 in the ice will allow of it with safety, this hardy bird may 

 be seen taking- his " matutiual tub/' Thoroughly wet he 

 will be before he has done floundering in his icy cold bath, 

 when he betakes himself to some cosy sheltered spot to preen 

 and dry himself. His bachelor existence, if hard, evidently 

 has its pleasures, or he could never utter such a jovial, yet 

 defiant note as that well-known " pink, pink," that every 

 one must have heard who has lived near the merest shadow 

 of a garden or square. No doubt his stock of seeds grow 

 short in winter, yet whatever they be, he cares not so that 

 they are good to eat ; and where some birds would starve, a 

 Chaffinch would look sleek. He feeds upon the fallen 

 beechmast, which few other birds can eat, and altogether 

 seems the reverse of most bachelors as regards economy. 



Having lived through a hard winter, however, spring' 

 puts another complexion upon affairs ; and becoming tired 

 of his hermit life, he hails with delight the return of his 

 congeners about the beginning of March. These " flight " 

 birds may then be seen returning from their foreign winter 

 quarters in one continual stream, possibly having picked up 

 stragglers in their journey, until they arrive from across the 

 Channel in flocks of from twenty to thirty birds, con- 

 tinually following each other at short intervals, and flying 

 north-east generally. 



After securing a mate, the practical character of the 

 Chaffinch is shown in the choice of a site for the nest. 

 Although often showing a preference for apple trees, they 

 will build in almost any tree or thick hedgerow, provided 



