74 The Naturalist in Siluria. 



EARLY APPEARANCE OP THE CHIPF-CHAFP. 



Having read various accounts of this summer visitant 

 being seen in the month of Pebruary, I was disposed to 

 doubt the correctness of the observation, and so said in 

 a former note. I now withdraw my doabtSj and make 

 apology to the discredited observers, having myself shortly 

 after seen the Chiff-chaff, and held it in my hand. Still, 

 I cannot think that these birds have come on the regular 

 return migration from the South, but have been staying 

 with us all the winter. Why should they not any more 

 than siskins, gold-crests, and other species seemingly 

 tender as they ? It is quite possible, even probable, that 

 many Chiff-chaffs remain in England throughout the 

 winter — when this is mild — and are not noticed. For 

 then not uttering their odd repetitive note, they might 

 easily escape observation, or, if observed, be mistaken for 

 other species. The theory held by some people, that this 

 bird iybernates — by which I suppose they mean that 

 they lie up somewhere concealed and in a dormant state 

 — is not necessary to explain the fact of their having 

 been here all the winter — if fact it be. 



GROSBEAKS AND CROSSBILLS. 



We have both these interesting birds in the Wye 

 Valley, and though rare, for some unknown reason their 

 numbers seem to be on the increase, more of them having 

 been observed of late years than formerly. This winter 

 the Grosbeak, or — as it is usually called — the Hawfinch 



