48 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



The nest, like that of the preceding species, is compactly 

 built, and is usually placed in a dense bush ; it does not 

 habitually breed in England, but does so freely in Scotland 

 and Ireland. 



The eggs are four or tive in number ; the first batch is 

 laid in Maj', and the second about the beginning of Julj'. 



These little birds breed freely in confinement, even 

 rearing their young in a cage. 



The}'' are often chained to a stand, and taught to open a 

 seed box and draw up "water in a miniature bucket from a 

 little well. Length, 4^ inches ; tail, 2. 



IMealy REDi'dLL.— ^This is a migratory species from the 

 north. Its forehead is crimson, and the top and nape of the 

 neck, as well as the upper part of the back, are brown, 

 spotted with a darker shade of brownish black ; the rump, 

 also spotted, is greyish white, with a yellow tinge, and the 

 under parts are the same. The wing coverts, flights, and 

 tail feathers are blackish brown, edged with yellowish 

 white ; a circle round the bill is black, and the bill itself 

 yellow, with a black tip ; the legs and feet are grey. 



The female has no red, and is smaller than the male, 

 which measures 5 inches in full length, of which the tail 

 makes 2|. 



All the members of the genus Liiioia feed exclusively on 

 seeds, chiefly of grass, and in the house are best dieted on 

 canary seed, with groundsel and plaintain for green food. 



Bullfinch. — This handsome bird is of stouter build 

 than any of the preceding, and has a thick head, with a 

 short, stout bill, which, together with the head, is jet 

 black : the wings and tail are also black, with a steel blue 

 reflection ; the back is slate grey ; the rump white ; the 

 face, neck, and breast bright crimson red in the male, but 

 brownish grey with a subdued reddish tinge in the female 

 and the young of both sexes. The legs and feet are dark 



