44 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF BRITISH BH^DS. 



markings of violet-gray arc few and indistinct. Occa- 

 sionally a few streaks or lines of very dark brown occur. 

 Some eggs are much more sparingly spotted than others. 

 Average measurement, 7 inch in length, by '53 inch in 

 breadth. Both parents assist in the task of incubation, 

 which lasts fourteen days, but the female sits the most. 



Diagnostic characters : It is impossible to dis- 

 tinguish certain small eggs of the Greenfinch from those 

 of the Linnet, also small eggs of the latter from those 

 of the Goldfinch. The construction and position of the 

 nest is the safest guide to their identification. Eggs 

 (and nest tooj of the Twite resemble those of the 

 Linnet so closely that great care is required in 

 determining them correctly. 



Family FRINGILLID.E. Genus Linota. 



Sub-family FRINGILLIN.E. 



TWITE. 



LiNOTA FLAVIROSTRIS {LiniUVUs). 



Single Brooded generally. Laying season. May and June. 



British breeding area : The distribution of the 

 Twite during the breeding season is dependent to a 

 very great extent on the presence of moorlands. 

 Wherever these districts occur, from the Midlands to the 

 Orkneys and the Shetlands, and westwards to the 

 Hebrides, the Twite may be found nesting upon them. 

 It also breeds on St. Kilda. As may naturally be in- 

 ferred, this species becomes most abundant in Scotland, 

 especially in the west. The same remarks apply to 

 Ireland, the bird breeding freely on all elevated 

 moorlands. 



