The Greenfinch 45 



which give it an extremely soft and variegated appearance ; a few twigs outside, 

 and a little hair iu the lining." In form the nest is usually a fairly regular cup ; 

 but the nest taken from sprouting oak-twigs, noted above, is shaped like a sabot. 

 The eggs number from four to six, usually five, and vary in ground-tint from 

 greenish to pinkish-white, rarely to pale green, or huffish ; the markings are, more 

 often than not, chief!}' confined to the larger end, and consist of spots, comma- 

 shaped markings, irregular lines occasionall}', and blotches of pitchy browu, or 

 blackish, with underlying spots, and sometimes large blotches of sienna-reddish, or 

 reddish-chocolate. In some eggs the markings are principall}' confined to a zone 

 near the larger end, and sometimes the_y are scattered here and there like fl_v-marks 

 over the entire surface : the form is b}- no means constant, a shortish oval type 

 being common, though all gradations ma}' be found between this and a long 

 almond or even spindle-shaped type. 



The Greenfinch will pair freely, both in cage and aviary, with the Canary ; and 

 crosses between it and the common Linnet iu a wild state, are probably the most 

 frec|ueut and the best authenticated of the numberless well-known wild hybrids 

 which have been recorded. In confinement the Greenfinch breeds as readily as a 

 Canary, and brings up its young much better, not attempting to pluck them (like 

 that foolish bird) after they have left the nest. It is very pugnacious in the 

 breeding-season, dashing straight at its opponent like a bull at a gate. 



One year I had a cock Greenfinch in an aviary with a pair of Canaries, and 

 of course, the Grosbeak fancied it could easily dispose of its slim opponent, and 

 take possession of his wife : so, with a harsh defiant zshivecr, it charged blindly at 

 him : the Canary took little apparent notice of the Greenfinch until it was within 

 a foot or two, then with a graceful little curving flight he alighted on its back, 

 and plucked out a beakful of feathers. This manoeuvre was successfully repeated 

 every time that the more powerful bird attacked him ; so that at length the 

 blundering bully came to consider that discretion was the better part of valour. 



I found that a pair of Greenfinches in an aviary built in an ordinary nest-box 

 hung upon the wires, building and feeding exactly as a Canary would : but not 

 attempting to incubate until the third ^^^ was deposited : they not only batched 

 all their eggs, but brought up their family without one failure. 



In the winter, especially in severe weather, this bird may readily be caught 

 in the ordinary cage-trap, especially if a decoy bird is placed iu the cage, and a 

 few sunflower seeds upon the platform. The larger Grosbeaks are all fond of 

 these seeds, and it is no uncommon sight in spacious gardens to see the ripe 

 sunflower heads covered with Greenfinches biisily at work extracting every seed. 



I once knew two old ladies who were great breeders of Canaries : on one 



VuL. u. N 



