CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. II3 



Structure, containing four to six of the most perfect 

 blue eggs possible to imagine. 



The species is an early breeder, two to three 

 broods being reared. There is an old and popular 

 belief dating back as far as Shakespeare's time, that 

 this little bird is the favourite foster-parent to the 

 young Cuckoo; but the Meadow- Pipit could put in an 

 equal claim. The Hedge-Sparrow does no damage 

 anywhere in the matter of the food it selects — only 

 good, for it is content to live upon insects, spiders, 

 worms, etc. The species is resident with us and 

 generally distributed. Many birds, too, arrive on 

 our Lincolnshire and Yorkshire coasts in late 

 autumn. "Throughout Europe south of the Baltic 

 it is generally distributed in summer down to the 

 northern districts of Spain. Its south - eastern 

 breeding-limit appears to be the Caucasus" (H.S.) 



The Linnet. 

 Family, Frmgillid<2. 

 The Linnet is resident and plentiful in most parts 

 of our islands all the year round, being supplemented 

 by large flocks in the autumn, which arrive from the 

 Continent. This species is gregarious in its habit, 

 being seldom seen alone, except when breeding. 

 The plumage varies very much according to the 

 different seasons of the year. On that account it is 

 sometimes called the Grey, at others the Red or 

 Brown Linnet. I am not quite sure what the 

 specimen in the case would be termed. The Linnet 



