BROWN LINNET. 375 



verts, and alula, brownish-black ; jirimaries margined exter- 

 nally with white, excepting towards the end, the w^hite margins 

 of the proximal ones broader, and forming a conspicuous mark 

 on the wdng ; secondaries margined externally w^ith yellowish- 

 brown, internally with greyish- white. The brown of the back 

 is shaded behind into light brownish-yellow ; the upper tail- 

 coverts and middle tail-feathers brownish-black, margined w^ith 

 browaiish-yellow ; the other tail-feathers of the same dark tint, 

 the five lateral margined with wdiite externally to near the tip, 

 and internally more broadly wdth the same. The frontal fea- 

 thers are deep red about the middle. The fore part of the neck 

 is yellowish-grey, streaked wdth brownish-grey ; the feathers 

 of the breast are blood-red, tipped wdth yellow^ish-white, the 

 sides yellowdsh-brown, streaked w^th darker ; the rest of the 

 low^er parts light brownish-grey, paler on the middle of the 

 abdomen. 



In this case the change from the winter colouring w^as not 

 very remarkable, excepting in the appearance of the red, yet 

 dark, on the forehead and breast. But tow^ards the end of 

 summer the change is much greater. A specimen shot on the 

 Pentland Hills, on the 23d June, had the bill bluish-brown 

 above, paler beneath, the tip darker ; the feet yellowish -brown, 

 the claws dusky. The head and neck light greyish-brown ; 

 the forehead bright red ; the back and w4ng-coverts uniform 

 reddish-brown ; the breast light red ; the sides yellowish-brown, 

 with only faint indications of dark streaks. 



In some individuals at this season, the red on the forehead 

 and breast become so light as to be nearly rose-red. Specimens 

 shot w ith the dark red tint, assume this very light red after 

 being exposed to the sun. The entire changes may be satis- 

 factorily accounted for by the w^earing of the tips of the feathers, 

 and the action of light in dissipating the dark tints. Before 

 these circumstances w^ere made known by M. Temminck, this 

 species was, naturally enough, divided into tw^o. It is remark- 

 able that cage birds do not acquire the red tints on the breast 

 and forehead. 



Habits. — The Common Linnet, variously denominated the 



