FRINGILLIDE. 189 
orange.’ Mention of a black variety of Sparrow is 
made also at p. 9531 of the ‘ Zoologist’ of the same 
year. 
The egg is much like that of the Tree Sparrow, 
but somewhat larger: it is somewhat subject to 
varieties, but the general colour is a white ground 
with numerous dusky spots; some are much more 
thickly and not so distinctly spotted, so as almost to 
hide the ground-colour and to give the whole a sort 
of grey appearance. 
GREENFINCH, Coccothraustes chloris. The Green- 
finch, or “Green Linnet,” as it is perhaps more 
commonly called about here, is another very 
common bird, and is resident all the year. Like 
others of the Conirostres it does some damage by 
devouring corn round the hedges before it is cut, and 
afterwards from the ricks, if they are sufficiently 
loosely put up to allowit todo so: it also picks up 
some garden-seeds, but, on the other hand, destroys 
a good many insects. 
M. Prevost’s list of the food of this bird is as 
follows :—‘‘ January, seeds, berries, wild fruit sand 
worms; February, the same; March, the same; 
April, the same and insects; May, the same; June, 
the same; July, the same; August, the same; Sep- 
tember, seeds, berries, wild fruit and worms; Octo- 
ber, the same; November, the same ; December, the 
same.’ This list resolves itself into seeds, berries, 
wild fruit and worms, throughout the year, with the 
