FRINGILLIDZ. 199 
the throat like the rest of the under parts: the 
rest of the colouring is duller than that of the male. 
The eggs, like the bird, are rather smaller than 
those of the Goldfinch, but something like them in 
colour, the ground being a pale light green, inclining 
to white, spotted mostly at the larger end with purple 
and dark brown. 
Liner, Linota cannabina. This bird, so beauti- 
ful in spring in consequence of the bright vermilion 
colour it assumes at that time on its breast, and at 
other times coming very much under the general 
description of a little dull brown bird, is resident 
throughout the year with us, flocking, like many of 
its congeners, during the winter and separating in 
pairs in the spring and summer. Common as it is 
with us, I have never anywhere seen it so numerous 
as it is in the Channel Islands, in all of which 
it is the common bird, outnumbering House 
Sparrows and Chaffinches both put together. 
The food of the Common or “ Brown Linnet,” as 
it is sometimes called, consists principally of 
insects, grain and seeds. M. Prevost gives the 
following list of the food of this bird :—January, 
seeds and berries; February, the same; March, the 
same; April, the same; May, the same and insects ; 
June, the same; July, the same; August, the same ; 
September, the same; October, berries, seeds, buds 
and fruit; November, the same; December, the 
same.” To this list may be added the seeds of 
