Birds and their nests and eggs - found in and near great towns (1907) (14569089757)

Identifier: birdstheirnestse00vosg (find matches)

Title: Birds and their nests and eggs : found in and near great towns

Year: 1907 (1900s)

Authors: Vos, George Herklots

Subjects: Birds Birds Birds

Publisher: London : G. Routledge New York : E.P. Dutton.

Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries

Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

Text Appearing Before Image:

such circumstances.Some think that this song is due to an in-herent combative instinct, causing them to beconstantly challenging other cocks possiblywithin hearing. These notes are not theonly ones the bird utters, and are differentto his pink, pink call note which is heard ashe sits on a tree top and may be intendedfor his hen. Both sounds are pleasing, but canscarcely be dignified into songs if comparedwith those of other birds. The chaffinch ismost noisy when his courting begins in Feb-ruary. The birds pair in March, and the nestis ready for the eggs by April. The chaffinchis about six inches long. He is handsome inthe variety of colours he displays, thus theforehead is black, with a creamy head, whilstthe back of the neck is blue, the back ischestnut with green at the lower end, thebreast is reddish chestnut, and the lowerpart of the body in front white. The wingsare black crossed by white bands. Besidesthese there are touches of green and yellow EARLY JUNE—OUR LAST EXCURSION 17

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Plate LIII : The whole appearance of this bird givesthe idea of what the schoolboy calls cheeky. Chaffinch, hen (i size). and grey about the body and wings. Thefemales colouring is more subdued, thecrown and breast being yellowish. Most 172 AMONGST THE WOODLAND BIRDS— chaffinches migrate in winter, collecting intoflocks for the purpose, but some, mostly cocks,remain throughout the year. The birdsarrive also in flocks. The parents remainwith the young whilst they are learning totake care of themselves (see Part I, p. io8),and afterwards rear another and perhaps athird brood. At the time of leaving thiscountry the cocks separate from the hens, andthus the male has got the name of the Bachelor Finch. The food is insects, oftentaken in the air, and seeds. Their sharp littlebeaks are used to good effect in self-pro-tection as well as in feeding, for the birds arevery pugnacious, even showing this instinctby singing one against the other. The wholeappearance of this active and noisy bird

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1907

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