BRITISH SONG-BIRDS. 203 



though not so familiar as the redbreast, yet, con- 

 fiding in man, it rather courts than shuns his 

 dwelling, in winter frequenting the stack-yard' 

 while, in summer, the honeysuckle, or the ivy that 

 shadows th€ bower in his garden, is, for the chaf- 

 finch, a chosen residence. 



The imagined and universally known burden of 

 its song is repeated by every country boy and girl, 

 so that in Scotland " the wee, wee, drucken sowie^^ 

 and the " shilfa" are synonymous terms. 



The chaffinch is not often confined in a cage, but 

 is of so gay and gentle a nature that it is easily tamed. 

 We have seen one that was taken from the nest, 

 and bred up mth a redbreast and a mule-bird. — 

 Its song partakes both of the richly-varied notes of 

 the mule-bii'd and the wild sweet melody of the 

 redbreast. It displays considerable sagacity, ap- 

 parently knowing its own name, by coming when- 

 ever it is called, and perching on the finger of its 

 master. It delights in being noticed by any one; 

 but the attentions of its master seem more gratify- 

 ing to it than those of strangers. When either 

 pleased or alarmed, it raises the feathers on its 

 head in the form of a crest. Like the rest of its 

 species J it is a healthy bird; but, when subject to* 



