194 TWITE. 



extremely rare, and it seems to be unknown in Pembrokeshire as 

 well as Merionethshire, in Wales. 



On the Continent the Twite is found in summer among the 

 islands and along the coast of Norway up to about 70° N. lat., but 

 in Sweden it is scarce even in the sub-alpine districts, and it is 

 somewhat doubtful if it nests in Northern Russia. On migration it 

 visits Denmark and Northern Germany (sometimes passing in large 

 numbers over Heligoland), Holland, Belgium and France ; but it 

 seldom goes far south, and its occurrences in Spain, Italy and 

 Southern Russia, have been few and far between. In the east, how- 

 ever, from the Caucasus and Asia Minor to Tibet, it is represented 

 by L. b?-evirostris, which is little more than a paler form. 



The nest is often placed in heather, or in low fruit and other 

 bushes ; sometimes in ivy, or among the grass growing on rocks 

 by the sea-shore, or again, beneath a strip of turf which has been 

 nearly reversed in ploughing or in road-making ; while on Rathlin 

 Island I found one on the ledge of a cliff, Soo feet high, when 

 seeking eggs of the Manx Shearwater. Fine roots for the outside, 

 with an ample lining of wool, a little hair and a few feathers, are the 

 materials employed ; the eggs, usually 3-4, but sometimes 6 in 

 number, being pale greenish-blue, blotched with reddish-brown, and 

 rather more inclined to streakiness than those of the Linnet : 

 measurements 7 by '5 in. Nidification commences about the 

 middle of May, and two broods are sometimes produced in the 

 season. The food consists largely of the seeds of charlock and 

 other weeds, but in the Shedands the bird is said to be somewhat 

 destructive to the newly-springing turnips and cabbages. Its call- 

 note is indicated by its monosyllabic name. The Twite is usually 

 more shy than the Lesser Redpoll. 



The adult male in spring has the lores, cheeks and throat 

 reddish-buff; crown, nape and mantle hair-brown with paler edg- 

 ings ; wings dark brown, with whitish margins — very noticeable in 

 flight — to the greater coverts, inner primaries and some of the 

 secondaries ; rump rose-red ; tail-feathers brown, with whitish inner 

 edges to the three outer pairs ; breast and flanks bufifish-white 

 streaked with hair-brown; belly dull white; l)ill pale yellow; legs 

 dark brown. Length 5 in. ; wing 3 in. In winter the general 

 appearance is greyer, and the bill is less yellow. The female has 

 no carmine on the rump; the bar on the wing-coverts is buff; and 

 the bill is dusky-brown at the tip. The young are somewhat duller 

 in colour. 



