94 BRITISH NESTING BIRDS 



Very often perches on telegraph wires. Has a jerky kind of 

 movement. The male in his best attire is a most handsome 

 bird, and may at once be identified by the dark frontal band 

 of black. A Summer visitor from Africa, arriving in late April. 

 Plumage. — Frontal band black, and also on lores and ear-coverts; 

 grey on crown and nape; chestnut-brown mantle; dark-brown 

 quills, with rufous edgings; grey tail-coverts; tail-feathers 

 black, with the exception of the bases, which are white; rose- 

 buff underneath; black bill and feet. Length. — Seven inches. 



SISKIN (Chrysometris spin us) 



Local Names. — Aberdevine, Barley Bird. 



Haunt. — Pine forests. 



Nesting Period. — April to July. 



Site of Nest. — Fir trees, and, it is said, furze bushes. 



Materials Used. — Moss, dry grass, roots, small fir or heather twigs, 

 rabbit flick, and perhaps feathers. 



Eggs. — Four or Five. Bluish, spotted with rust-colour, sometimes 

 at one end and at others all over. 



Food. — Small insects and seeds. 



Voice. — Call, a metallic "keet" and oft-repeated " zit," also 

 " pee-wee." In Spring male utters a sweet, musical song. 

 Alarm, " chuck-a-chuck, keet." 



Chief Features. — Resorts to lonely pine forests. Many come South 

 in Winter. Easily distinguished by plumage. An active bird, 

 resorting to Tit-like habits. 



Plumage. — Black crown; behind eye a wide yellow streak; plumage 

 variegated with dusky, grey, and various shades of green; 

 dusky wings, with a greenish-yellow bar, a black one above, and 

 a further one across middle of tertiarics; dusky tail, greenish- 

 yellow at base and edge of inner web. Female not so bright, 

 1 black on head missing. Length. — Four and a half inches. 



SKUA, COMMON (Stercorarius catarrhactes) 



Local Names. — Bonxie, Brown Gull, Cornish Gannet, Great Skua, 

 Port Egmont Heron, Skua Gull, Teaser, Tuliac. 



Haunt. — Wild heaths, mountains, and the sea. 

 ng Period. — May and June. 



Site of Nest. — On the ground. 



i uils Used. — Moss, dry grass, and a few bits of ling. 



. — One or Two. Dusky olive-brown, or greenish, with dark 



blotches and rust-coloured spots. 



/ /. Pish, young birds, carrion, etc. 



Voice. — Call, a loud " ag-ag," " skua," or harsh " skua-h-h." 



