a hawk and a buzzard," which means, "I don't know what to
do, or how to act."[158]

[158] Miss Baker's "Northamptonshire Glossary," 1854, vol. i.
p. 94. See Nares's "Glossary," 1872, vol. i. p. 124; and
"Richard III.," i. 1.

_Chaffinch._ Some think that this bird is alluded to in the song in the
"Midsummer-Night's Dream" (iii. 1), where the expression "finch" is
used; the chaffinch having always been a favorite cage-bird with the
lower classes.[159] In "Troilus and Cressida" (v. 1) Thersites calls
Patroclus a "finch-egg," which was evidently meant as a term of
reproach. Others, again, consider the phrase as equivalent to coxcomb.

[159] Harting's "Ornithology of Shakespeare," p. 144;
Halliwell-Phillipps's "Handbook Index to Shakespeare," 1866, p.
187. The term finch, also, according to some, may mean either
the bullfinch or goldfinch.

_Chough._ In using this word Shakespeare probably, in most cases, meant
the jackdaw;[160] for in "A Midsummer-Night's Dream" (iii. 2) he says:

"russet-pated choughs, many in sort,
Rising and cawing at the gun's report;"

the term russet-pated being applicable to the jackdaw, but not to the
real chough. In "1 Henry IV." (v. 1). Prince Henry calls Falstaff
_chewet_--"Peace, chewet, peace"--in allusion, no doubt, to the chough or
jackdaw, for common birds have always had a variety of names.[161] Such
an appellation would be a proper reproach to Falstaff, for his meddling
and impertinent talk. Steevens and Malone, however, finding that
_chewets_ were little round pies made of minced meat, thought that the
Prince compared Falstaff, for his unseasonable chattering, to a minced
pie. Cotgrave[162] describes the French _chouette_ as an owlet; also, a
"chough," which many consider to be the simple and satisfactory
explanation of _chewet_. Belon, in his "History of Birds" (Paris, 1855),
speaks of the _chouette_ as the smallest kind of chough or crow. Again,
in "1 Henry IV." (ii. 2), in the amusing scene where Falstaff, with the
Prince and Poins, meet to rob the travellers at Gadshill, Falstaff
calls the victims "fat chuffs," probably, says Mr. Harting, who connects
the word with chough, from their strutting about with much noise.
Nares,[163] too, in his explanation of _chuff_, says, that some suppose
it to be from chough, which is similarly pronounced, and means a kind of
sea-bird, generally esteemed a stupid one. Various other meanings are
given.