BRITISH BIRDS. 39 



black, the spot on the wings grej'ish ; the under part 

 of the body reddish grey, shading to white on the belly. 

 Length, 7 inches ; tail, 2^. 



The bill, which seems disproportionately large, is dark 

 blue in summer, and flesh-coloured witli the tip black 

 in winter. 



In its wild state, it feeds on berries of all kinds, and 

 some insects. In the house, it may be readily kept, 

 if a due proportion of its natural food is added to the 

 ordinary bird seed of the aviar}^ It builds a compact 

 nest, and lays from three to five greenish grey e^a^^ 

 spotted with brown, and streaked with bluish black. 

 In England the hawfinch is mainly migratory, but a 

 few pairs remain here and there through the summer 

 to breed in suitable localities, and no doubt more would 

 do so but for the inveterate persecution they are subjected 

 to. The 3^oung are very easily reared by hand on 

 soaked bruised seed, and bread, or biscuit. 



Greenfinch. — Why this familiar bird should have 

 been constituted a separate genus does not readily appear, 

 for it is one of the true finches, feeding its young ami 

 mate with food prepared in and regurgitated from the 

 crop. 



The prevailing colour of the plumage is yellowish 

 green, lighter on the lower part of the bodj^, and still 

 more so on the rump and breast, shading to white on 

 the belly. A patch of brilliant canary yellow decorates 

 each wing. 



The female is browner above, and ash-coloured on the 

 lower surface, so that she presents, at a distance, a strong 

 resemblance to a female house sparrow, for the yellow 

 patch on her wings is not very noticeable except at close 

 quarters. 



The young are curiously speckled, so that ignorant 



