SCARLET KULLFIXCH. 
70 
state. The male came to within fifteen paces, into a 
thorn bush, and sang. It allowed itself to be observed 
freely, without any marks of fear. The female was 
not to be seen, nor the young, which had already 
(June 7th.,) left the nest. The old decoy man, who 
chiefly dwelt there, knew of the nest, and took me to 
it, assuring me that these birds had for many years 
bred there, and that they were not rare in the island. 
That they also bred in the elder and meadow thorn 
bushes near the house, and Avere pleasant-singing 
cage-birds. After much seeking Ave found no more, 
but Ave discoA'ered the Common Linnet, for which they 
may probably liaA^e been mistaken by the decoy man,” 
“The Scarlet Bullfinch is very confiding to Avar ds man, 
being not at all shy. The singing male remains in 
the open, like the Linnet, upon the j^oints or tips 
of bushes, and flys aAvay like a shot when disturbed. 
Its call is a clear, piping, high tone, similar to Ticke, 
ticke, tuk,’ tAvlce repeated in a clear and perceptible 
manner. When a part of the song has been uttered, 
as far as my observation extends, the Avhole tone is 
A'aried into a longish cadence.” 
“W'heii Avith my friends Von Woldicke and Boie 
I last approached this celebrated decoy, at Sylt, I 
heard the song at a considerable distance, and I drew 
their attention to it, that there might be no mistake. 
The resemblance of the song to some of the notes of 
the Heed Bunting, as well as those of the Linnet, is 
a remarkable fact. Both these latter birds live in its 
neighbourhood. It is a very agreeable, loud, long, 
and, Avith many slight pauses, unbroken song; and it 
is so characteristic, that an ear like mine, Avhich from 
earliest youth has been accustomed to obseiwe the song 
of birds, can distinguish it in the far distance. In a 
