Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 2 (1898).djvu/301

Rh earlier travellers reach this country, arriving in the first half of April, while the mass belonging to the second wave do not arrive till the end of April or beginning of May. 2. On the whole the dates of arrival are later than I myself, and I think others, had fancied they used to be. In connection with this I would draw attention to the date in my table of 1895, when I was in the South of France and the Eiviera. Until April 13th I did not see a single Martin, not even at Aigues Mortes, near the Delta of the Rhone, where the Swallows were arriving in great numbers. Such Martins as arrive in England by this route could not that year have reached their destination till quite the end of the month. This record therefore seems to tally closely with the majority of those made in England. I will not venture to conclude too hastily that the arrival of this bird has of recent years been getting later, but there is some slight indication in the tables that this may be the case. If it were so the fact might be accounted for, as Mr. Aplin has suggested to me, by the very obvious diminution in the numbers of the species in this country; the first arrivals, being few and far between, would be more liable to be overlooked than in former years. — (Lincoln College, Oxford).

The Song of the Chaffinch.—Although I am not sure that I quite agree with Mr. Witchell's views respecting the song of the Chaffinch, I am glad that he has drawn attention to it in his interesting paper in 'The Zoologist' (ante, p. 195). To me the song seems a remarkable one for two reasons:—1st. The difficulty with which in most cases it seems to be put together in every year, some birds requiring weeks to do this, others succeeding in a few days. 2nd. The great difference in the song of different individuals, some having a really fine and impressive song, whilst others have only a very poor and monotonous ditty. Nowhere have I heard such fine performers as in Earl Fitzwilliam's woods at Shillelagh, far famed for its splendid oak trees. At Ardmayle, near Cashel, I heard Chaffinches with call-notes differing from any I have heard elsewhere, and this year, at Killaloe, I felt certain for some time that I was listening to a Bullfinch rather than to our old friend Fringilla cœlebs. The Chaffinch's song has been written down in various ways. Some London dealers think the best strain is like "ring ring rattle chuck wido." The German version, however, seems to me to be the best: "Pritz pritz pritz, will'st du dem mit dem Bräutigam zieren," some substituting "pink" for the initial "pritz." Perhaps some of your readers would kindly say whether they have ever heard a Chaffinch conclude its song with what fanciers call the "amen"; I mean the familiar "pink" or "fink" at the close. I have heard but one "amen" Chaffinch in my life, but I should like to hear another.— (Rathmines School, Dublin).