PLATE CCXL. 



that we are enabled to determine from the external afpe6l of the birds, 

 as well as from diffedion that both the fexes of the Greenfinch are dif- 

 tm&:\y known, we can fcarcely hefitate to think they muft be fpecifi- 

 cally different. 



We have been long iince in polFeffion of what we confider as the 

 two fexes of each of thefe birds, the Chafiinch and the Greenfinch, 

 and have no idea in our mind that they can be the fame. We 

 are aware that this was alfo the perfuafion of the late Mr. Green, a 

 very intelligent obferver of the fmaller tribes of our common Knglifli 

 birds, and who was inclined and able to beftow more attention upon 

 this curious fubje6l of inquiry than moll; other collectors ; — he was 

 fully fatislied they are fpecifically diitiii^t : we have the two fexes of 

 both birds very beautifully fet up by his hands. 



It is very well known that the Greenbird and the Chaffinch occa- 

 fionally affociate : it is alfo known that they migrate feparately in 

 flocks. The Greenfinch, for example, retires from Swed(.n and 

 Holland in autumn, while the Chaffinch remains, and paffes the 

 winter alone, and is again vilited by their fuppofed mates in fpring. 

 With us in Britain, both the Chaffinch and the Greenfinch remain 

 throughout the year, and yet fometimes flocks of the Greenfinch are 

 feen without a fingle Chaffinch, and again the latter obferved in abun- 

 dance without any intermixture of the former, precifcly as was before 

 obferved of their migrations upon the Continent. With thefe fuggef- 

 tions and fa6ts before us, we can fcaicely avoid believing the Green- 

 finch and Chaffinch to be fpecifically difi;m6l : we are not inclined to 

 fpeak with too implicit confidence, fince it muft affiiredly remain for 



K 2 future 



