THE SISKIN 237 



at varying heights from the ground, sometimes not 

 more than twenty feet, at others three times that 

 distance, and, as we have already inferred, generally, 

 if not invariably, in a coniferous tree. The eggs 

 are five or six in number, very pale bluish-green in 

 ground-colour, spotted and speckled chiefly over 

 the broader half with dark reddish-brown, paler 

 brown and grey : occasionally a few scratches or 

 lines of darker brown are seen. Like most Finches, 

 the Siskin is secretive and retiring during the 

 breeding season, and seldom betrays the where- 

 abouts of the nest by any demonstrative action. 



The food of the Siskin is chiefly composed of 

 small seeds, but in summer insects to a large extent 

 replace this diet, whilst the young appear to be 

 reared at first exclusively on aphides and other 

 minute insects, as is the case with the better-known 

 Sparrow. The call-note of the Siskin is a shrill 

 twitter, whilst that between the sexes has been 

 described as tsyzing — hence the bird's German name, 

 " Zeisig." 



The adult male Siskin has the head and throat 

 black, the remainder of the upper parts yellowish- 

 green, shading into brighter yellow on the rump, 

 streaked with dusky brownish-black ; the wings are 

 nearly black, the quills having yellow margins and 

 bases, and the coverts yellow tips ; the central tail 

 feathers are dull black, the remainder black at their 

 extremity, yellow at the base and on the inner webs. 



