62 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



Atriplex and Polygonum. In April and May it frequents oaks 

 and larches, ridding them of the larvas of small moths and the 

 aphids that blight the young foliage. Flocks feeding on the 

 ground rise in a body if disturbed, but the birds return singly 

 and with caution ; as they rise with twitters of annoyance, it is 

 easy to pick out the Bramblings from Chaffinches or other 

 companions by their white rumps, and when on the ground by 

 their warm chestnut shoulders. The flocks when on the move 

 fly with erratic, uncertain motion, often after many changes of 

 direction returning whence they rose ; the flight is undulating 

 and finchlike, several quick beats and then a shoot forward 

 with a sharp closing of the wings. The flight note is usually 

 softer and longer than that of the Chaffinch, " tscheep, 

 tscheep," but in the trees it is a short " tuk, tuk." The song 

 I have not heard ; it is described as " a short low warble," but 

 I have repeatedly heard the loud Greenfinch-like call, " cree," 

 even in autumn. Towards the end of April this note becomes 

 frequent, and a belated bird that I saw at Hebden Bridge, 

 Yorkshire, on June 28, 1907, two days before it was last 

 noticed, called with regularity about every ten seconds, raising 

 its head each time with open beak pointed skywards. This 

 bird, naturally, was in full summer dress, smarter than any I 

 have seen in late summer in Norway. In 1914a bird remained 

 in Cheshire until June 11, but these are exceptional dates. 

 Reports of nesting in Britain have never been substantiated, 

 but both these late birds were apparently caUing for mates. 



In Scandinavia the Brambling nests even more in birches 

 than pines, though the latter is supposed to be the favourite 

 tree. The nest is similar to that of the Chaffinch, with lichens, 

 moss and birch bark freely used in its construction. The eggs, 

 usually six, are laid late in May or in June, and are so similar 

 to the lighter types of Chaffinch eggs that it would be unsafe 

 to judge the species by ^'g'g alone. 



The breeding male has a blue-black bill, a glossy blue-black 



