GOLDFINCH. 49 



the typical form, whilst our sub-species, its numbers increased 

 by immigrants, is nomadic in winter. Return migration takes 

 place in April and May. 



The striking red, white and black head, and the broad gold 

 band on the wing, prevent confusion with any other finch. 

 Though lively enough in captivity, its charms are lost when 

 confined ; in the open it is a fairy bird, light and buoyant on the 

 wing, active as a titmouse when feeding. Even in the nesting 

 season it is sociable ; I have seen and heard a little party 

 singing dehghtfully whilst young, hard by, were still in the nest. 

 The song, clear, sweet, and loud for so small a bird, is a com- 

 bination of modulations of its liquid call, "twit." It flies with 

 a "drooping," jerky flight, and a " charm," as a flock is aptly 

 called, twitters conversationally on the wing ; amongst its 

 favourite food-plants — knapweeds, thistles, ragworts and other 

 weeds — it is restlessly active, flitting from plant to plant like a 

 butterfly. In nuptial display the male, drooping his wings, 

 turns from side to side to show his golden bar to perfection, and 

 I have seen an excited and anxious bird, when I was examining 

 young in the nest, turn from side to side in the same manner. 

 In April, when our residents are building, I have seen flocks of 

 Goldfinches consorting with Mealy and Lesser Redpolls, Chaf- 

 finches and Bramblings, undoubtedly migratory parties. The 

 Goldfinches, a score at a time, frequently sang in wonderful 

 chorus. The young, calling for food, twitter in a feeble imita- 

 tion of their parents. The song is continued well into summer. 



Seeds of weeds, especially those most troublesome on the 

 farm, form the main diet ; clean farming is undoubtedly re- 

 sponsible for the diminution of the bird in many areas, for 

 "dirty" fields and untilled wastes are what it loves ; it is a 

 most useful check on weed distribution. 



Insects are largely eaten in spring ; the April flocks visit 

 larches, feeding on the larvae of coleophora and other insects 

 that attack young shoots. 



Series I. E 



