232 THE LANGUAGE OF BIRDS. 
In Germany, the chaffinch is a bird of passage, 
arriving in the month of March, and leaving in 
October or November. A few stragglers, however, 
remain all the winter. Like the swallow, they per- 
form their journeys in large flocks ; in that country, 
the males arrive fifteen days prior to the females. In 
some counties in England, the females make their 
appearance before the males. Mr. White particu- 
larly noticed it in Hampshire. Bechstein speaks of 
some varieties of this species — " One quite white, 
another with a white collar, a third streaked, 
spotted,'' &c. 
There is no difference between the wood chaffinch 
and those of gardens and orchards. 
Thy tender lay, thy simple strain, 
Unnoticed might have passed ; 
But now thou com'st my praise to gain, 
The sweetest and the last. 
Pure are the charms in thee I find. 
Emblem of youth's bright wing ; 
'Twas thine to bring past joys to mind, 
And promise future spring. 
