BRITISH BIRDS. 
l6l 
male wants the red upon the breaft ; her plumage 
in general is not fo vivid, and inclines to green ; 
in other refpe£ts it is not much unlike the male. 
This beautiful little bird is every where well 
known ; it begins its lhort and frequently-repeated 
warble very early in the fpring, and continues till 
about the fummer folllice, after which it is no more 
heard. It is a lively bird, and perpetually in mo- 
tion* and this circumllance has given rife to the 
provei'b, “ as gay as a Chaffinch .” Its nell is 
conftru&ed with much art, of fmall fibres, roots, 
and mofs, and lined with wool, hair, and feathers ; 
the female lays generally five or fix eggs, of a pale 
reddifh colour, fprinkled with dark fpots, princi- 
pally at the larger end. The male is very affidu- 
ous in his attendance during the time of hatch- 
ing, feldom ftraying far from the place, and then 
only to procure food. Chaffinches fubfill chiefly 
on fmall feeds of various kinds, they likewife eat 
caterpillars and infers, with which they alfo feed 
their young. They are feldom kept in cages, as 
their fong poiTefies no variety, and they are not 
very apt in learning the notes of other birds. The 
males frequently maintain obftinate combats, and 
fight till one of them is vanquifhed and compelled 
to give way. In Sweden thele birds perform a 
partial migration ; the females collect in vaft flocks 
the latter end of September, and, leaving their 
mates, fpread themfelves through various parts of 
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