142 THE OREGON NATURALIST. 



The song of the Linnet is loud and flute-like, yellow; the few outside tail feathers - yellow 



and exceedingly agreeable. It consists of from the middle to the root, but else-where 



several connected passages, and is esteemed in black with a white border. 



proportion to the frequency with which certain The female is smaller, and easily distinguish- 

 clear, sonorous notes, called the Linnet's crow, ed from the male, by having the ujijer i^ait of 

 recur. It sings throughout the year, with the the body of a browner gieen, and the lower 

 exception of the moulting season. part more ashen gray than yellowish green. 



The hybrid between the Linnet and Canary There are some yellow spots on the breast and 



is well known. It is hardly to be distmguished and the bedy, and tlie under tail coverts are 



from the Grey Canary, and has not only a very rather white than yellow. It feeds' on all 



excellent voice, but is quick in learning to kinds of seeds; hem]i and rape seed, linseed, 



whistle. juniper berries, s]iurge laurel beiries, turniji, 



The Linnet gives place to few birds in point thistle and lettuce seeds. , It is esjiecially fond 



of song. His tone is mellow, and his notes of the seeds of the milk thistle, it feeds also on 



sprightly, artfully varying into the plaintive insects. 



strain, and returning again to the sprightly. The Green Linnet or Greenfinch general'y 



with the greatest address and most masterly attaches its nest to a thick branch of a tree, 



execution. though it is sometimes found in a thick hedge. 



It is probable that the term Linnet is de- It is well built of wool, coral-moss, etc., and 



rived from the fondness of this bird for the lined with fine root-fibres and hair, 



seeds of the flax plant. Except during the The female lays twice a year four or five 



breeding season these birds are usually seen in eggs, pointed at the ends, and silvery grey, 



flocks, feeding generally upon small seeds, spotted with violet or brown. At first the 



particularly those of the cruciform p'ants, with young are greenish grey, although the male 



other seeds of the flax, and thistle. may from the first be distinguished by a 



THE GREEN LINNET OR GREENFINCH somewhat yellow tinge. 



[FringiUa chlo'ris, Der Gruenling.) Although their song has no great recom- 



Of these songbirds, 15 pairs were introduced mendation, it is not unpleasant, so that some 



by the Society into Oregon in 1889 and 1892. person even prefer it to the grey Linnet's, 



The Green Linnet is to be found all over the Tiiey sing throughout the year. Their call 



continent of Europe. In Germany it is one of while on the wing is Yek, yek! and when 



the commonest birds. It may be observed in perched, Schoving. 



summer in the thickets, gardens, and wherever The young are mostly fed on green caterpil- 



there are willow trees; but in winter, migrates lars and small infects, of which the species 



in large flocks, and does not return until destroy inmiense numbers at this period, it is in 



March. this resj.^ect partly of insectivorous habits. 



This bird, which is somewhat longer than 



the Chaffinch, is 6 inches in length, of which SEA OTTER HUNTERS. 



the tail measures 2j^ inches. The beak is 5 



lines long, flesh-colored, darker above than sriKA iNi:)iANS on a 1 kip to puget sound. 



below, and light brown in winter. The iris is 



dark brown; the feet flesh-colored, tinged with "Fred," '"Jackson," '•Lizzie," "Kadashan," 



blue, and 8 lines high. The general color is Robert Irmschee and W. S. Hammond are a 



yellowish green; on the under part of the body party of Sitka Indians in Seattle to see ihe 



a lighter green, which is lightest at the rump sights and incidently to see what they can (\o 



and belly, and on the latter tinged with white, towards disposing of this year's catch of furs 



The quill feathers are blackish, bordered with and skins, says the Seattle Times. The party 



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