2802 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
begins to assume this colour in the early spring; it 
makes its first appearance as a sort of dullish dark 
red in the centre and lower part of the feather, and 
gradually, but rather rapidly, spreads over the whole 
feather, increasing in brightness till it develops itself 
in the bright scarlet before described; the red upon 
the forehead also develops itself much in the same 
way. In autumn and winter the breast is yellowish 
brown, mixed with dull white, streaked with dusky ; 
flanks the same ; the belly and other tail-coverts are 
much the same, but lighter; legs, toes and claws 
brown. The female, as a rule, does not assume the 
red breast, but that it does so occasionally would 
appear from the following observation of Yarrell :— 
“The female has been taken with a fine red breast, 
but this is not generally the case.” Varieties of the 
Linnet occasionally occur; one is mentioned by Mr. 
Blake-Knox,* as having the head entirely white and 
the rest white and brown; and another is mentioned 
as having a saddle of pure white across the back. 
The eggs of the Linnet are of a light greenish 
ground, with dark purple brown spots of two shades, 
mostly round the thicker end; in some the spots are 
all of one colour, and are more spread over the 
whole egg. 
* * Zoologist’ for 1864, p. 8877. 
+ Id., 1865 (Second Series), p. 262. 
