MOUNTAIN LINNET, OR TW^ITE. 381 



Variations. — I have not observed any remarkable acciden- 

 tal or irregular variations in this species. 



Changes of Plumage. — The changes exhibited by the Twite 

 are not so remarkable as those of the Brown Linnet, although 

 perfectly analogous. 



JNIale in Summer. — The bill is yellowish-white ; the feet 

 black. The upper parts are darker, the light brown streaks 

 having become narrower ; the rump is crimson or purplish-red. 

 The lower parts are nearly as in winter, the throat remaining 

 unspotted at all seasons. 



Habits. — The Twite almost precisely resembles in its habits 

 the Brown Linnet, with whicli in winter it sometimes associates. 

 Towards the commencement of that season, the individuals 

 unite into flocks, sometimes of great extent, and search for 

 food chiefly in the stubble fields, w^here, besides the seeds of 

 chickweed, field-mustard, polygona, and other plants, they pick 

 up those of the cultivated grasses. Although both this and 

 the Brown Linnet might seem too small to feed upon these 

 latter seeds, yet in winter I have generally found the greater 

 part of the contents of their stomach to consist of them. It 

 appears to be as extensively distributed as the last species, but 

 not nearly so abundant in the southern districts. In the He- 

 brides it is plentiful, and in winter frequents the corn-yards in 

 large flocks, clinging to the stacks of oats, and picking out the 

 seeds. I have several times seen some of them killed by throw- 

 ing a stick in the midst of them, and more frequently by trap- 

 ping them with a riddle ; and this merely for the purpose of 

 being eaten by the young savages, who have no taste for 

 caging. 



Its flight is rapid and undulated, and it wheels over the 

 fields previous to alighting, uttering a soft twitter at intervals. 

 When disturbed, it betakes itself to tall trees, or to a distant 

 field ; but is not shy, and may therefore be easily approached 

 when feeding. In spring it forsakes its winter haunts, and 

 disperses over the hilly tracts, where it forms its nest on the 



