244 EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



the exception of the Long-tailed Titmouse, the female Chaffinch 

 probably takes more time to build her charming little nest than 

 any other British bird. 



The eggs of the Chaffinch are from four to six in number. 

 Typical eggs are pale bluish-green in ground-colour, clouded with 

 pale reddish-brown, sometimes to such an extent as to entirely 

 conceal the green ground, spotted and occasionally streaked with 

 dark reddish-brown overlying markings and pale purplish-brown 

 underlying ones, usually most profuse at the larger end of the 

 egg. A somewhat rare variety, which I have taken both in this 

 country, in Greece and in Germany, is scarcely distinguishable 

 from eggs of the Bullfinch ; the egg is clear greenish-blue in 

 ground-colour, with large underlying blotches of faint purple, 

 and surface-spots and streaks of rich purplish-brown. The eggs 

 of this species vary in length from 0"8 to 0'7 inch, and in breadth 

 from 065 to 0'55 inch. 



THE LINNET. 

 {Fringilla ca/nnabina-.y 



Plate 57, Figs. 2, :j. 



The Linnet is generally distributed throughout the British 

 Islands and breeds throughout Europe, in Scandinavia south of 

 lat. 64°, and in East Russia south of lat. 59°. 



The nest is formed in the first place of moss and dry grass, 

 strengthened with a few fine twigs, often those of the gorse, dead 

 and withered, and bound together with wool obtained from the 

 branches, where it has been left by the sheep in endeavouring to 

 force their way through the dense thicket. It is lined with hair, 

 wool, and vegetable-down, and sometimes a few feathers. 



The eggs of the Linnet are from four to six in number, the 

 latter being the usual clutch. They are greenish-white or French- 

 white in ground-colour, blotched, spotted, speckled, and streaked 

 with reddish-brown and rich purplish-brown. Some eggs are 

 much more richly marked than others, and on some specimens 

 the markings are very small, pale, and indistinct. As is usual, 

 the larger end of the egg is the most spotted, generally in the 



* Acanthis cannabina — Saunders, Manual, p. 179. Canndbina cannabim — Sharpe, 



Handb., I., p. 43. 



