'104 THE ORNITHOLOGICAL GUIDE. 



What has most struck us in this work is the 

 extraordinary value set on the Chaff Finch (Buch 

 Fink.) This bird which no one would think of 

 keeping in confinement in Britain for its song, 

 appears to be highly prized in Germany, as may be 

 seen by the following extracts : — " The passion for 

 this bird is earned to such an extent in Thuringia, 

 and those which sing well are sought for with so 

 much activity that scarcely a single Chaff Finch 

 that warbles tolerably can be found throughout the 

 province. As soon as one arrives from a neighboring 

 country, whose notes appear good, all the bird 

 catchers are after it, and do not give up the pursuit 

 till they have captured it. 1 ' — p. 175. And again: — 

 " Ruhl is a large manufacturing village in Thurin- 

 gia, the inhabitants of which, mostly cutlers, have 

 such a passion for Chaff Finches that some have 

 gone ninety miles from home to take with bird-lime 

 one of these birds distinguished by its song, and 

 have given one of their cows for a fine songster, 

 from which has arisen the expression, such a 

 * Chaff Finch is worth a Cow.' " * . 



A common workman will give a louis d'or (16s.) 

 for a Chaff Finch he admires, and willingly live on 

 bread and water to gain the money. An amateur 

 cannot hear one that sings in a superior style the 

 double thrill of the Hartz without being in a 

 ecstacy. From all this it would be natural to 

 suppose the song of the Chaff Finch of Germany 

 to be far superior to that of the British Chaff Finch, 



