MOUNTAIN FINCH. 337 



from flexure 6^ ; tail 2k ; bill along the ridge nearly i ; tarsus 

 y\ ; middle toe and claw 9^ twelfths. 



Variations. — Individuals are sometimes found white, or 

 having patches of that colour ; but I have not observed any- 

 remarkable variations of this kind. Young males have the 

 black of the head, back, and wings tinged with brown. 



Changes of Plumage. — The changes which the plumage 

 undergoes, owing to the wearing of the feathers, are described 

 by Temminck as analogous to those observed in the Chaffinch ; 

 but as the species does not remain with us in summer, I need 

 not describe its dress at that season further than by stating that' 

 the dark parts of the upper surface are then pure black. 



Habits. — We have seen that in its general form and style of 

 colouring, the Brambling is very closely allied to the Chaffinch. 

 Its flight, mode of walking, and other manners, are also similar, 

 so that on trees or on the ground, the two species can scarcely 

 be distinguished by a person seeing them together at a little 

 distance. It now and then appears in diiferent parts of the 

 country during winter, and searches for food in the open fields, 

 generally in company with Chaffinches and Yellow Buntings. 

 When alarmed, it betakes itself to trees, like other small birds 

 of this family. Its flight is rapid and undulated, and its note 

 is a tweet very similar to that of the Chaffinch. Towards the 

 end of spring it disappears ; and I am not aware that any indivi- 

 duals have ever been found breeding in this country. The 

 only opportunity which I have had of observing it occurred in 

 February 1835, when I fell in with a flock on some beech 

 trees about a mile from Corstorphine, near Edinburgh. They 

 were mingled with Chaffinches, from which I did not dis- 

 tinguish them, until some of them having alighted in a field, 

 I fired at them, and on going up found to my surprise, two 

 Bramblings and a Chaffinch. I have, however, seen many 

 specimens, recent and stuifed, which had been killed in Scot- 

 land, and of which I have several in my possession. 



