©4 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



species in reed-beds or osiers. There is a distinct west coast 

 migration in September and October. 



Variously known as the Grey, Brown or Red Linnet, this bird 

 of the open wastes and commons is confused with others ; in 

 many places the Goldfinch is the " Red Linnet " and the Green- 

 finch the "Linnet"; the variation in its plumage helps this 

 confusion. It is a bird of uncultivated rather than cultivated 

 land, though flocks feed in the fields in winter ; furze-grown 

 commons, hill sides sprinkled with scrub, and the coast 

 marshes and sandhills are its haunts. Even in the field it 

 may be distinguished from its near allies the Redpolls and 

 Twite by its larger size, warmer brown back, and the white 

 edges of the tail feathers ; in the hand it will be found that 

 all of the tail feathers, except the central pair, have wider 

 white margins on the inner than the outer webs. The bird is 

 sociable, and in spring three or four males will perch on the 

 same bush and sing in chorus ; even in winter the twitter often 

 resolves itself into a short song. This pleasant song is not 

 loud, but is sweet, in spite of the fact that some ears detect 

 harsh notes. These so-called blemishes make the song 

 peculiarly distinctive ; they suggest to me the twang of a 

 stringed instrument; indeed, the low notes are like the vibration 

 of the strings of a harp. The flight note is " twit, twit," short 

 and sharp, uttered as the flocks pass and repass in curving 

 sweeps, now almost halting in mid-air or rising obliquely, 

 dancing to and fro. The call-note is a double "twe-ee." 

 Seeds of various plants, mostly looked upon as weeds, are eaten, 

 and the young, though partly, fed on insects, are supplied with 

 a regurgitated mass of crushed seeds. I have notes of the bird 

 feeding on chenapodium, mugwort, thistle, charlock, knotgrass, 

 saltwort and sea rocket ; on the last two, incoming migrants on 

 the Yorkshire coast at once settled. 



The favourite site for the nest (Plate 22) is a gorse bush, but a 

 hedge is often selected. The nest is built of a few fine twigs. 



