no CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 



its own against most others of the Finch family. 

 It is, moreover, a very sociable little bird. "All the 

 summer long, even when they are engaged in 

 breeding, they may be seen in parties of three or 

 four" (W. H. H,), The nest is something after the 

 character of that of the Chaffinch, though more 

 loosely constructed; it is generally placed in a hedge, 

 a bush, or shrub. Eggs — four to six, greenish-white, 

 spotted or blotched with reddish-brown ; sometimes 

 the nest is in a tree, in regard to which, Mr. W. H. 

 Hudson says : " Two or three nests are often found 

 on the same branch, or in close proximity. The 

 passions of jealousy and anger so common among 

 birds in the pairing-season seem not to exist in this 

 species." The Greenfinch is not particularly strong 

 in singing, although it has a few pretty little 

 warbling notes. Howard Saunders describes its call 

 note as "a lono- drawn twe-e-eer." 



This species is, no doubt, like the Bullfinch, very 

 destructive to fruit trees in the spring ; in the 

 autumn large flocks arrive on our coasts, and, joining 

 with the resident birds, distribute themselves over 

 our cultivated fields, often associating themselves 

 with Sparrows and Chaffinches. "It is more or less 

 sedentary in suitable localities throughout Europe. 

 Eastward it is found as far as the north-west of 

 Persia and Turkestan" (H.S.). 



The specimens, I think, were shot near Warling- 

 ham, Surrey. 



