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half plugged, forms as good a nesting-place as any in an aviary,

and the nest is built precisely like that of the House Sparrow. The

eggs, as a rule, are much like Sparrow’s eggs, but are larger, and

some varieties (one especially, which is blotched with two shades

of chocolate) do not seem to be ever quite represented in House

Sparrow’s eggs. I have noticed that the young of this bird,

when they first leave the nest, are peculiarly tame, and I have

had them fly and settle on me, calling at the same time to their

parents for food. The actions of the Rock Sparrow on the

ground are quite peculiar ; as, although they hop, they also run

like a Lark, and I have watched a flock, suddenly alarmed when

feeding on a stony plain, quickly scuttle off in different directions,

each bird stopping motionless with his beak against a stone until

the danger, whatever it might be, had passed over.



IV.—THE CHAFFINCH.


Fringilla ccslebs , Linn.


By J. Lewis Bonhote.


This bright and lively finch is very common, and widely

distributed throughout our country. It has always been a great

favourite with me, and is not, I think, estimated at its true worth

on this side of the Channel. In winter it enlivens the woods

and gardens with its oft - repeated “ pink, pink,” in spring

its lively, though short, song is a welcome sign of returning

summer; while its nest, placed in some hedgerow, is neater

and better finished than that of any other bird in our Islands.


To begin with, let us look more closely at its name,

Fringilla ccelebs or the Bachelor Finch. This name was given

by Linnaeus, a Swedish naturalist, because, at that time, the

males were supposed to spend the winter in Sweden, while the

females migrated southward in large flocks. In our country

there seems to be no such separation of sexes, although large

flocks composed solely of one sex or the other are frequently

to be met with.


The sexes differ greatly in plumage. The male has the

crown of the head blue, the back brown, the rump green and the

underparts reddish. The hen is of various shades of greenish-

grey, and the young, until their first moult, resemble her. In

spring the broad edgings of the feathers are worn off and both

sexes become much brighter ; the bill, which in the male is

horn-colour in winter, becomes dark. Both sexes may always

be distinguished, when flying, by a white cross-bar on each wing.



