TWITE. 45 



Breeding H.\bits : The great and almost exclusive 

 breeding-haunts of the Twite are the vast expanses of 

 tall rank heather and ling. It is as common on the 

 coast as in more inland localities, and nests freely on 

 the small islands, narrow promontories, and sloping 

 cliffs along the western coast-line of Scotland. The 

 Twite pairs rather early, the flocks disbanding in spring 

 and retiring from the lowlands to the moors during 

 March and April. The usual site for the nest is amongst 

 the long heather, only a few inches from the ground, and 

 very frequently on the ground itself. A favourite 

 situation is on the edge of a bank or ledge, especially by 

 the side of a rough road or sheep-track. Less frequently 

 the nest is made under a piece of turf or amongst long 

 rank grass (as for instance at St. Kilda) ; and Capt. Elwes 

 states that it is made in a bush or amongst creepers 

 growing over walls. Twigs, dry grass-stems, moss, and 

 roots form the outside of the nest, which is warmly lined 

 with finer roots, vegetable down, wool, and feathers, each 

 or all being used according to circumstances. The cup 

 is round, deep, and very neatly finished. As a rule the 

 nests placed above the ground are larger than those 

 built upon it. Both birds assist in its constructicn. 

 The Twite is a close sitter, and glides off her eggs with 

 little demonstration ; but very often after being driven 

 from the nest she is joined by her mate, and the pair 

 flit restlessly about until all is quiet again. 



Range of egg colouration and measurement : 

 The eggs of the Twite vary from four to six in number, 

 five being the average clutch. They are pale bluish- 

 green in ground colour, finely spotted and speckled, and 

 frequently streaked, with reddish-brown. Generally the 

 bulk of the markings are distributed in a zone round the 

 larger end of the ^'g'g. Some examples are much more 

 streaked than others ; and occasionally they are quite 



