30 



BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



Xinnct 



Jo ha/ I]unc/>i //. 



The Linnet {Linota cannahiiia, Linnaeus) is a generally 

 distributed species in the British Isles, but becomes scarcer 

 in some parts of Scotland, and is said not to occur in the 

 Shetlands. It is also a resident over most parts of the 

 Western Palearctic Region, with the exception of the 

 extreme north. The adult male in summer plumage is, 

 above, reddish-brown, streaked with black ; forehead and 

 centre of crown, crimson ; breast, crimson ; ear-coverts, 

 ashy-grey ; primaries and tail, blackish, margined with 

 white ; throat, dusky ; breast, crimson ; abdomen, dull 

 white ; flanks, fawn-brown ; bill, legs, and feet, brown ; 

 irides, brown. Length, about five inches. The adult 

 female closely resembles the male, but the red on crown 

 and breast is wanting. 



