104 BRITISH BIRDS. 



browiij sometimes to sucli an extent as to entirely conceal the green ground^ 

 spotted and occasionally streaked with dark reddish-brown overlying mark- 

 ings and pale purplish-brown underlying ones, usually most profuse at 

 the larger end of the egg. A somewhat rare variety, which I have taken 

 both in this country, in Greece, and in Germany, are scarcely distinguish- 

 able from eggs of the Bullfinch ; they are clear greenish blue in ground- 

 colour, with large underlying blotches of faint purple, and surface-spots and 

 streaks of rich purplish brown. They vary in length from '8 to "7 inch, 

 and in breadth from '65 to '55 inch. Chaffinches eggs very closely resemble 

 those of the Brambling, but as a rule are much more clouded with reddish 

 brown. The Chaffinch generally rears two broods in the year. 



When the young are able to take care of themselves, they appear to be 

 abandoned by their parents; but in late autumn the Chaffinches congregate 

 into large flocks, and continue more or less gregarious for the winter. At 

 this season of the year a considerable separation of the sexes appears to 

 occur ; but it is probable that this peculiar habit is confined to those birds 

 that come to our shores in autumn ; for our resident Ohafiinches of 

 both sexes may be seen in company throughout the winter. It may be 

 that the Chaffinches separate into flocks (the females and young in one, 

 the old males in another) to perform their annual journey; for certainly 

 after they have sojourned here some time these flocks seem to merge into 

 each other, irrespective of sex. These flocks frequent the stubbles and 

 the newly manured fields, and later on in the season the lands where 

 sowing-operations are going on. A favourite place is in the beech-woods, 

 where they keep company with Bramblings. Their roosting-places are 

 almost invariably amongst evergreens. 



The food of the ChafBnch in summer is almost exclusively composed of 

 insects ; but during the remainder of the year consists of grain and 

 seeds of various kinds. The bird is often seen hovering in the air 

 catching insects like a Flycatcher, and the young are fed , on larvse. In 

 winter the bird consumes the seeds of many noxious plants, and often 

 visits the stackyards and manure-heaps, feeding with the Sparrows. It is 

 somewhat troublesome to the gardener in seed-time ; but a few scarecrows 

 will usually suffice to keep the little plunderer away ; otherwise the Chaf- 

 finch is one of the gardener's best friends. 



Great numbers of Chaffinches annually come to this country to winter. 

 The east and south-east coasts of England are the places where they usually 

 arrive ; and their journeys are performed almost exclusively in the night, 

 consequently many birds are obtained at our lighthouses, and frequently 

 strike against the lantern in their wanderings. 



The Chaffinch is in great request as a cage-bird, especially on the conti- 

 nent, in France and Germany, where the poor birds are often blinded for 

 the purpose of increasing their powei-s of song. 



