SCARLET GROSBEAK. 173 



confirmed by Mr. Bond {op. cit. p. 1984) — a hen-bird having 

 been caught on the downs near Brighton in September, 1869. 

 This example was seen by the writer in Mr. Monk's aviary 

 at Lewes, and lived there until June, 1876. On October 

 5th, 1870, another hen-bird was taken near Caen Wood in 

 Middlesex, as chronicled by Mr. Bond (op. cit. p. 2383), and 

 is now in his collection. It is very possible that other 

 examples have been obtained in Britain, but the particulars 

 given as to several supposed specimens leave it doubtful 

 whether they were correctly determined to be of this species. 

 In habits the Scarlet Grosbeak is described by observers 

 as bearing much resemblance to the Linnet, though it affects 

 marshy coppices rather than the open country. So far as 

 Europe is concerned perhaps the fullest account of its 

 manners is that furnished to Messrs. Sharpe and Dresser by 

 Dr. Taczanovski, who, writing from Warsaw, says that in that 

 neighbourhood it generally appears about the middle of May, 

 arriving singly and taking up its abode in bushes near water. 

 The cock-birds are very restless, perching on the top of a 

 tree or shrub, whence they utter a deep, clear and character- 

 istic song, repeated about ten times, and then descend in 

 search of food among the branches, but meanwhile they 

 sometimes warble in a very low tone, and after an interval 

 reappear to view and recommence their song.* In singing 

 the bird raises the feathers of its crown and throat, and in 

 the sunshine looks more beautiful than it really is. The 

 food consists chiefly of buds ' and the seeds of various trees 

 and bushes, but seldom those of smaller plants. The nest 

 is loosely built, but regular and neat inside, being lined with 

 fine shoots of plants, dry and often interlaced with a few 

 hairs. It is placed in the fork of a bush and always well 

 hidden in foliage. The eggs, from four to six in number, 

 measure from '76 to '14, by from "59 to '54 in. They are 

 of a deep greenish-blue, sparingly marked with well-defined, 



* The note of the cock is said by Messi-s. Seebohm and Harvie Brown to be 

 pitched high and is by them syUabled ta-ioU-tu-tui, which does not agree exactly 

 with the rendering of Prof, von Nordmann hi-u-ti-u hi-u-ti-u. The former 

 observers say that the note of tlie hen is " a low Greenfinch-like single zk-zh-zh " 

 (Ibis. 1876, p. 115). Menetries compares the song to a ChafiSnch's. 



