THE CHAFFINCH 269 



Chaffinch is the favourite bird in the shops of the Seven 

 Dials in London, and before the Bird Protection Acts 

 came into force, many a country lane has been cleared 

 of Chaffinches to the great disgust of many of the 

 residents in the neighbourhood. 



In Germany this is called the Buchfink Beechfinch 

 because of its fondness for beech woods. In the 

 Thurigen Forest they have come to our table like 

 Sparrows for crumbs. It frequents our suburban 

 gardens. 



The Chaffinch is a delightful bird in garden and wood. 

 The full-grown male has a broad white stripe and a 

 smaller yellow stripe on the wings ; the two outer feathers 

 of the tail are large, with white wedge-shaped spots, which 

 give the bird in flight a very variegated appearance. 

 Crown and neck are bluish-grey ; brow black ; cheeks 

 and under parts brownish-red; wings and tail black, 

 except the white spots. The female and young are more 

 plainly coloured; otherwise, like the male. Its nest is 

 built among the high tree-tops, sometimes quite in the 

 open, and is made of tufts of hair, moss, root-fibres, 

 wool, and hair, very skilfully constructed. It lays five 

 or six eggs with dark dots and fine markings, but 

 occasionally of a uniform colour. 





Chaffinches at the stream. 



