CHAPTER XVIII. 



THE BULL-FINCH. 



This bird, which is common to all parts of the country, is very 

 shy, and for the greater part of the year haunts the woods and 

 thickets. In spring, however, its fondness for tender fruit-buds 

 tempts it into gardens and orchards, where, being considered 

 an enemy, it is destroyed without mercy. It is a question, 

 however, whether it devours these young buds as favourite 

 food, or whether it may not be the equally distinctive grub or 

 insect which is the temptation ; and thus, that it ought rather 

 to be regarded as the friend than the enemy of the gardener 

 and fruit-grower. At all events, the general opinion is against 

 the poor bull-finch. He is declared to be a devourer of the 

 embryo fruit, and no mercy is shown to him. The Rev. J. G. 

 Wood, always a merciful judge where birds are concerned, 

 thinks that public opinion is unfairly against him. He says 

 that a gooseberry tree, from which It was supposed that the 

 bull-finches had picked away every blossom-bud, yet bore the 

 same year an abundant crop of fruit, which certainly proved 

 that they had picked away only the already infected buds, and 

 so left the tree in an additionally healthy state, doubly able to 

 mature and perfect its fruit. 



Bull-finches seldom associate with other birds, but keep 

 together in small flocks as of single families. Its flight, though 



