THE GREY LINNET. 
269 
enough for all, generally move off, and leave it to the later 
guests; occasionally, indeed, the interruption produces a little 
buffeting, but this soon terminates ; unlike the general melee of the 
sparrow, where the row, originating with a pair, soon becomes 
general ; or the regular " stand-up fight " of the robin, a couple 
of which, when feeling " blown " after a set-to, literally stop to 
take breath, after the approved manner of the Fives-Court ; and 
this done, battle again as hard as ever until the victory is decided. 
Sir ¥m. Jar dine, has very pleasingly observed,* that "every 
one who has lived much in the country, must have often remarked 
the common linnets congregating towards the close of a fine 
winter's evening, perched on the summit of some bare tree, 
pluming themselves in the last rays of the sun, chirruping the 
commencement of their evening song, and then bursting simulta- 
neously into one general chorus; again resuming their single 
strains, and again joining, as if happy and rejoicing at the termi- 
nation of their day's employment." I had daily for a season, 
the gratification of thus observing them at Wolf-hill, where the 
effect was heightened, by the black Italian poplars which they 
alighted on, and dotted with their numbers to the very apex, having 
pyramidal-formed heads, and accordingly, presenting several pyra- 
mids of birds, each giving forth its peal of music. When this 
ceased, the birds descended to roost in fine large Portugal laurels, 
growing beneath and around the trees. The time, &c., of their re- 
sorting to these poplars was noted on a few occasions during one 
season : — “ On Feb. 1 6th, a great number appeared at four o'clock ; 
on the 9th of March, kept up their strain until half-past 5; March 
30th, did the same until half-past six, and though their numbers have 
become much thinned, 120 were reckoned. So late as the 5th of 
May some came in flocks to roost ; fifteen were observed in com- 
pany this evening." During the last few winters, grey linnets have 
attracted much attention at the Botanic Garden of Belfast, by 
coming in several hundreds every evening to roost. They fre- 
quent, in the manner already described, the black Italian poplars, 
which here, as at Wolf-hill, are preferred to all other trees. This 
* Note to his edition of Wilson’s American Ornithology. 
