I04 The Braaibling 



frequently indistinguishable from those of the Chaffinch ; but usually they are 

 decidedly greener, with smaller and less defined markings ; a hen Brambling 

 formerly in my possession, which must have been taken as a cage-bird to South 

 America and liberated there (I picked her out of a batch of newly imported 

 Brazilian Birds) occasionally used to drop an tgg from the branch on which she 

 roosted ; these eggs were greenish-blue, like those of a Hedge-Accentor, but with 

 four or five deep browu spots on sienna-reddish smears towards the larger end ; 

 of course they were always broken when I found them. 



Like the Chaffinch, this species feeds largely on insects in the summer time, 

 and on various kinds of seed in the winter, it is especially fond of beech-mast, 

 Init also eats the seeds of many noxious weeds, and fruit. On the ground it both 

 runs and hops, but chiefly the former. 



The call-note is usually described as a harsh chirp, probably referring to the 

 grating zs/nvtro which it utters (in common with the Greenfinch, the Baya and 

 Manyar Weavers, and many other birds) ; if so I have no hesitation in asserting 

 positively that this is its note of defiance, inasmuch as it not only utters it after 

 its song, but when disputing with another bird. I suspect the true call-note to 

 be a sharp iv/t//. The alarm-note according to Seebohm is a hurried zw, ziv, but 

 I have not heard this note from any of the birds which I have kept. The song, 

 which I have frequently heard sung by two of my male Bramblings, is very like 

 that of the Chaffinch without the terminal notes ; as, however, it is generally 

 followed, almost immediately, by the harsh cry of defiance, it would almost seem 

 as if this might represent the ivhcat-car or iissi-car of that species. The scale of 

 the Brambling is rather shorter than in the song of the Chaffinch, and delivered 

 with less vehemence ; but in this respect individuals maj- differ. 



A pair of Bramblings formed part of the little collection with which I com- 

 menced my studies in aviculture : I kept them with a pair of Goldfinches, a Hedge- 

 Accentor, and one or two other birds, in a large home-made flight cage. These 

 were the worst-tempered Bramblings I ever had, they disputed incessantly, and at 

 first gave the hen Goldfinch a wretched time of it, viciously pecking her whenever 

 she went down to feed near them ; but one day the cock Brambling made a mis- 

 take and pecked the male Goldfinch, which simplj- sprang at him, grasped his body 

 with its claws, and tore a bunch of feathers from his breast. After this both 

 Goldfinches were let alone, but the male and female Bramblings fought incessantly, 

 the hen eventually pecking out one of her husband's eyes, soon after which he died : 

 curiously enough she only survived him a few da^-s. 



In 1886 I purchased a charming male bird of this species, so gentle and tame 

 that its plumage was always in perfect condition ; it was passionately fond of bath- 



