BULLFINCH, GREENFINCH, CROSSBILL 247 



it is a common resident in North-west Africa. The 

 Greenfinch is another handsome species, dressed in 

 a garb of olive-green, grey, and bright yellow, the 

 latter colour on the wings and tail showing very 

 conspicuously during flight. Its favourite haunts 

 are in well-cultivated districts, in orchards, gardens, 

 shrubberies, and hedgerows. It is a resident in 

 our islands, but increased in numbers in autumn by 

 arrivals from the Continent. At this season it is 

 gregarious ; indeed from the late summer onwards 

 through the autumn and winter, it may be seen in 

 flocks of varying size, which frequent grain-fields, 

 stubbles, and weedy pastures. Even in the breed- 

 ing season it is a social bird, and several nests may 

 often be found close together. The twittering song 

 begins in April, and is heard to best advantage 

 when several cocks warble in concert, as they often 

 do in spring, and again to some extent in autumn. 

 The ordinary call-note is a shrill twit or zit, rapidly 

 repeated, whilst the cry between the sexes is a harsh 

 and prolonged /^^--s-/^. The breeding season of the 

 Greenfinch begins in April, and as several broods 

 are reared, is continued until August. The favourite 

 site for the nest is in an evergreen or a dense 

 hedge-row ; but sometimes it is amongst ivy, or 

 high up in elm and other trees. This nest is made 

 of dry grass, twigs, moss, and sometimes wool, 

 externally, and lined with hair, wool and feathers. 

 The eggs, five or six in number, are white, or 



