THE BREEDING OF THE BRAMBLING IN SCOTLAND i8i 



THE BREEDING OF THE BRAMBLING 

 IN SCOTLAND. 



By Catharine Hodgkin and T. E. Hodgkin. 



There is a record in June 1866 of the finding of a nest 

 containing three eggs of the Brambling {Fringilla inonti- 

 fringilla) by E. T, Booth in Perthshire. This observation 

 has met with only partial acceptance ; authorities usually 

 state that " no authentic instance of the breeding of the 

 Brambling in the British Isles has yet been recorded." 



A more complete observation made this spring (1920) 

 in Sutherland now leaves no doubt that the Brambling does 

 occasionally breed in the British Isles. Both cock and hen 

 birds were observed on i8th May; on 19th May the nest 

 was begun. The hen was seen carrying wool and the 

 beginning of the nest was made. Progress was watched 

 from day to day, and on 22nd May the hen was seen in the 

 almost completed nest. Seven eggs were laid by 31st May. 

 The eggs which were taken on 3rd June showed that incuba- 

 tion had begun. 



When first seen on 18th May the cock, in full breeding 

 plumage, showed great excitement, restlessly flying to and 

 fro in the tops of the firs, and calling. When the wood was 

 quiet he indulged in a clear, short song. After the building 

 of the nest had begun he was silent and difficult to find. 

 When the nest was approached he appeared in response to 

 the warning call of the hen. 



The nest was placed in the fork of a Scots pine, where 

 three branches had taken the place of the leader, at a 

 height of 25 feet from the ground, in a wood of Scots pine 

 and a i^v^ larches. The nest was composed of wool, moss, 

 fur, and fine bents. A little white paper was used as a 

 foundation. Rabbits' fur was largely mixed with the moss 

 forming the sides, together with eight or nine small bits of 

 lichen. The lining was of fur, hair, and fine grass. The 

 margin of the nest was much wider than that of the Chaff- 

 inch and measured outside 5 inches, inside 2\ inches. The 



