302 
CHAFFINCH. 
rate portion of woodland cover, and being wanting 
only in some of those bare northern tracts where 
neither tree nor bush prevails. During the 
summer, Chaffinches, like nearly all our smaller 
birds, continue pairs, and as the broods become 
able to associate with their parents, they may be 
found in small parties ; as winter comes on, the 
flocks increase, frequenting woodland districts, 
and feeding on the ground upon various seeds. 
They visit the farm yard and the vicinity of 
cultivation, more than the last, and trust, as it 
were, more to artificial sustenance. During sum- 
mer, and the season of incubation, their food is 
in a great part insectivorous, and the caterpillars 
of the Lepidoptera, which are at this time 
abundant, particularly those of the Geometrce, 
are materially kept in check by their assistance. 
In gardens this bird is frequently very destruc- 
tive to the newly sown small seeds, such as 
turnips, radishes, any kind of greens, &c. seizing 
the young plant, and pulling it up, with the view 
apparently of reaching the seed. In this way we 
have seen whole beds and rows completely torn 
up. Another mischievous practice is, that of 
pulling off the heads of the polyanthus and prim- 
rose, for the purpose of either getting at the 
supply of honey or sweet juice which rests at the 
bottom of the tube of the corolla, or to feed on 
the small insects which are attracted there ; a 
bush or plant is often stripped in a single morn- 
ing, and the care of the florist rendered vain. 
The great proportion of our migratory birds 
