242 EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



irregular zone. Some eggs are much more boldly streaked than 

 others, and the streaks are longer. The eggs vary in length from 

 0-7 to 0-62 inch, and in breadth from 0-53 to 0'48 inch. Gold- 

 finches' eggs can generally be distinguished from Linnets' and 

 Greenfinches', which they much resemble in colour, by their 

 smaller size ; whilst from those of the Lesser Redpole they are 

 easily told by their much lighter ground-colour. From those of 

 the Citril Finch, Serin and Siskin they are indistinguishable, 

 except in perhaps being blunter and a trifle larger. 



THE SISKIN. 

 (Fringilla spinus.)* 



Plate 56, Fig. 18. 



From the evidence to be gleaned upon the subject, there can 

 be little doubt that the Siskin has bred in several counties of 

 England. In Scotland it is much commoner than in England, 

 and breeds regularly in many localities. It nests also in Ireland, 

 as well as in the pine- woods of Northern and Central Europe, in 

 Norway ranging as far north as lat. (37°, in liussia as far as 

 Archangel, and in the Urals up to about lat. 58°. It also breeds 

 in some of the mountainous districts of Southern Europe — as, for 

 instance, near Florence — and in the Caucasus. 



Upon a scanty foundation of grass-stalks, mixed with a few 

 heather-twigs, the nest is built almost entirely of moss and roots, 

 the finest material being selected for the lining, in which is also 

 a little vegetable-down. Other nests are described as having a 

 few feathers in the lining. 



The eggs are five or six in number, pale bluish-green in ground- 

 colour, with dark reddish-brown spots and specks and an occasional 

 streak, and with underlying markings of pinkish-grey. The 

 markings on some eggs are much more profuse than on others, 

 but on almost all they are most conspicuous near the large end. 

 They vary in length from 0"7 to 0'62 inch, and in breadth from 

 0"53 to 0"5 inch. They appear to go through the same variations 

 both in size and colour as the eggs of the Goldfinch, from which 

 they are absolutely indistinguishable. 



* Chrysoynitris spinus — Saunders, Manual, p. 167; Sharpe, Handb., I., p. 41. 



