190 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
addition of insects during the summer months, 
which would rather bear out the assertion of Yarrell 
that the young are for a time fed upon insects; but it 
seems that this is not the case, as, although the old 
birds may eat insects during the summer months, 
it has been shown by dissection of the young that 
they are fed entirely on unripe or sprouting seeds of 
weeds and garden-plants.* 
In confinement the Greenfinch is easily tamed, and 
eats anything in the way of grain or seeds: the pips 
of apples I have also found a very favourite food, 
but I do not think it cares much for the other part 
of the apple, but if it be cut open will eagerly pick 
out and eat the pips. It breeds readily in con- 
finement, and increases rather too quickly for an 
ordinary aviary. 
The nest is usually placed in thickish shrubs and 
bushes or hedgerows, and sometimes tolerably high 
up on trees. In confinement I generally find it 
places its nest in some furze-bushes which I contrive 
to stick up in the roof of the aviary. In a wild state 
the nest is made of roots, small sticks and bits of 
moss, and lined with hair and feathers; in confine- 
ment it makes use of hay and bents of grass—in 
fact, of anything suitable with which it may be 
supphed. 
The adult male Greenfinch is a bright, handsome 
*« © Zoologist’ for 1866 (Second Series, p. 481). 
