CHAFFINCH, the English name for a well-known species of Fringilla : Intca of Aristotle and the Greeks ; Fringilla and Frignia of Gres= and others; Franguello, Frangueglio, Fringuello, and Spincione, of the Italians; Pinson, Pinson, Grinson, and Quinson, of the French; Fink, or Buch-Fink (Beech-Finch), Edel-Fink, Gcmcine Fink, Schild-Vink, of the Germans, ttc. ; Fineko and Boflncke of the ' Fauna Suecica ;' Asgell-Arian, Wine, of the ancient British ; Fringilla ccelebs of Linnaeus. It has also the following local names iu Spiuk, Beech-Fitich, Pink, Twink, Skelly, Shell-Apple, Horse-Finch, Soobby, Shilfa, Chaffy, Boldie.
As far back as the time of Bolen the powerful voice of this bird was remarked :—" On lea garde en cage pour lea faire chanter, dont he chant est ai pitimuit qu'il en at fascheux " (folio, 1555); and in the small quarto (1557) the following quatrain is printed under the figure of the bird :— Pour bien niftier Ion me nom Pinson, Qui ay is rail fort haultaino et pulaaante; Je hay he chauld, froidure West plalnante ; Eu ee contraire est ? taus ma futon.
"The passion for this bird," says Tieclurtein, in his 'Cage Birds,' "is carried to such an extent in Thuringia, and those which sing well are sought for with so much activity, that scarcely a single chaffinch that warbles tolerably can be found throughout the province. As soon as one arrives from a neighbouring country whose notes appear good, all the bird-catehers are after it, and do not give up the pursuit till they have taken it.. This is tho reason why the chaffinches in this province are so indifferent songsters; the young ones have only bad masters in the old ones, and they in their turn cannot prove better." In England however it appears to have been appreciated. The lion. Daines Barrington, in his paper 'On the Small Birds of Flight' (the bird-cateher's expression), observes that the greatest sum he ever heard given for a song-bird which had not learned to whistle tones, was five guineas for a Chaffinch that had a particular and uncommon note, under which it was intended to train others. Beehetein says the Thuringian have been known to give a cow for a Chaffinch with a fine voice.
Bechatein, after describing the different notes that express its passions and wants, among which the often-repeated cry, 'fink, fink' (our ' twink'), from which its German name is derived, he considers to bo mechanical and involuntary, thus speaks of its powers :—" But what makes it appear to still more advantage among other birds are its clear and trilling tones that seem almost to approach to words ; in fact, its warbling is less a song than a kind of battement, to make use of a French word, and is expressed in German by the word aching (trill), which is used to designate its song as well as the nightingale's.
Some chaffinches have two, three, four, even five different battemens, each consisting of several strains, and lasting several minutes. This bird is so great a favourite in Germany that not a single tone of its voice has escaped the experienced ears of our bird-fanciers. They have observed its nicest shades, and are continually endeavouring to improve and perfect it.. 1 confess I am myself one of its warmest admirers; I have constantly around me the best songsters of its species, and if I liked could write a good sized volume on all the details of its music." The following chaffinch songs, or melodies, are most esteemed in Saxony and Hesse. Some are heard in the woods, but they are rarely sung with a clear and strong voice. If the bird executes well, and adds to the last strain the sound fink,' which the German bird catchers translate by amen; it is of the highest value. " No price," says Bechatein, "will be taken for it r — I. The 'Double Trill of the Harz,' in Lower Saxony. 2. The ' Reiter Zong,' or Rider's Pull,' first heard among the mineral moun tains of Saxony and Voigtland. 3. The Wine Song,' with the fol lowing subdivisions, namely :—The Fine,' or Liingafeld Wine Song; the ' Bad Wine Song' and the Sharp Wine Song,' which is subdivided into the ' Common Sharp' and the Ruhl Sharp.' 4. The gam,' or 'Bridegroom Song,' also divided into good and bad. 5. The ' Double TrilL' One of these, the Double Trill of lamblach,' is only to be acquired in the house, and is so deep and powerful that it can scarcely be conceived how the larynx of so small a bird duce such sounds. Bechstein, who makes this observation, adds that a Chaffinch which sings this either alone or with the ' Good Bride groom's Song' (such as are educated at lamblach), sells at Walters bitumen for eighteen French francs. 6. The Gutjar,' or 'Good Year Song,' with two subdivisions. Chaffinches singing this, united to the Wine Song' of Ruhl, or the Sharp Song,' had become very rare when Bechsteln wrote, and fetched high prices. 7. The Quakia Song, formerly much admired. Beelintein says, " I believe I possess the only bird that is now to be found which sings this. To be admired the Quakia' must be united with the 'Double Trill.' This my chaffinch sings also." 8. The ' Pithin,' or 'Trewethia,' a very uncommon and agreeable song, never heard but in the depths of the Thuringian mountains.