246 OUR FAVOURITE SONG BIRDS 



but one easily seen, even at a long distance, by the 

 gleaming white rump. It is very fond of flitting in 

 drooping flight before the observer, along the hedge- 

 side, in short stages, and is a restless active species. 

 Its "song" is heard fitfully in spring-time, and 

 ceases for the year almost as soon as the first set of 

 eggs is laid. It is a soft and low little warble of 

 short duration, and sounds like the call-note o^ dm 

 strung together and uttered in a variety of tones. 

 The Bullfinch pairs for life, and in April builds a 

 rather slovenly yet after all beautiful little nest in 

 some thick hedge or bush. It is made externally of 

 twigs, roots and dry grass-stems, lined with hair, 

 and occasionally a few feathers or a scrap or two of 

 wool. The eggs, from four to six in number, are 

 greenish-blue in ground-colour, spotted with dark 

 purplish-brown, and paler pinkish-brown. During 

 the entire breeding season this species is most shy 

 and retiring. Its food in summer consists of insects 

 and larvae ; at other seasons of farinaceous buds, 

 hips, haws and other berries, and the seeds of 

 various weeds. 



Our second species, the Greenfinch {Ligtirinus 

 chloris), is a much commoner bird and more widely 

 dispersed, found in most parts of the British Islands, 

 even including the Orkneys. It is also found 

 throughout Europe, nearly up to the Arctic Circle, 

 and eastwards into North-west Persia and North- 

 west Turkestan: whilst south of the Mediterranean 



