CHAFFINCH. 
F RING ILL A CALEBS. 
Thbb, are few parts of the British Islands, with the exception of barren and treeless moorlands, where the 
Chaffinch is not occasionally to be observed at one season or another. In most wooded localities it is common 
tte NoXVSandr ^ or two in man y of the dense pine-forests of 
Large numbers reach our eastern coasts from across the North Sea during the autumn months. Though 
immense flocks may occasionally be seen all through the winter in various parts of Great Britain, it is probable 
tha many Chaffinches cross the English Channel, and return to our shores early in the spring I paid 
particular attention to all large gatherings of these birds, met with either by sea or land, in order, if possible 
to learn whether there is any certain rule as to the separation of the sexes during the winter months The 
following notes extracted from my journals will show the date of the arrival of our visitors from the north of 
Luiope, and also the relative numbers of the sexes in any considerable parties that have come under mv 
During a heavy snow-storm in December 18G5, I noticed several parties of Chaffinches frequentin'* the 
armyards and the dust-heaps at the back of a shooting-lodge in the west of Perthshire. Both males and 
females were to be seen in about equal numbers. 
In January 18G7, at the time of the heavy snowfall, when countless myriads of small birds passed from 
east to west along the coast of Sussex, the stubble-fields between Brighton and Newhaven were, in some parts, 
almost covered with flocks of Chaffinches. The poor birds, wearied and half-starved, were flying past and 
dropping wherever a spot free from snow could be discovered. There were both males and females 3 ; but after 
carefully watching them for two or three consecutive days, it was evident the males were most numerous ; still 
one third at least were females. 
Towards the end of January 1871, the coast of Sussex was again visited by swarms of fugitives during 
protracted frost and snow. I remarked that, in the flocks of Chaffinches appearing in the fields, the males and 
females were in about the same proportion as during the severe weather four years previously. 
While steaming in the North Sea between twenty and thirty miles off Yarmouth, on the 7th of October 
1872, with a fresh breeze from the south-east, several parties of Chaffinches and Tree-Sparrows were noticed 
flying towards the land. The Chaffinches that were near enough for the sexes to be identified were males and 
females in about equal numbers. The other birds seen on the passage during the same day were Hooks, 
Starlings, and Larks. 
On the following day (the 8th), while ten or fifteen miles east of the ‘Newarp’ floating light, a 
continued stream of Rooks, Grey Crows, Jackdaws, Starlings, Larks, and Chaffinches were observed makim- 
their way towards the land, with but slight intermission, from daylight till dusk. Several Larks and Chaffinches 
came on board. The Larks were greatly fatigued, and, creeping into any quiet corner, generally went off at 
