152 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



Materials. — A few small twigs, fibrous roots, 

 dry grass-stems, moss, and wool, with an inner 

 lining of hair and feathers, sometimes with rahhit 

 or vegetable down. 



Egr/.s. — Four to six, greyish-white, slightly 

 tinged with blue or green, speckled and spotted 

 with purple, red, and reddish-brown ; the spots 

 are generally most numerous round the larger end 

 of the egg. They closely resemble those of several 

 other birds, such as the Greenfinch, Goldfinch, and 

 Twite, and can only be distinguished with certainty 

 by watching the parent birds on to or off their nests. 

 Average measurement about -72 by -52 in. 



Time. — April, May, and June, sometimes as late 

 as July, and even August. 



Bemarl-H. — Migratory in bulk, but resident in 

 small numbers. Notes : song, soft and low, mixed 

 with some sweet and shrill notes. Local and other 

 names: Brown Lirmet, Common Linnet, Grey Linnet 

 (a name referring to the young bird before the first 

 moult), Whin Linnet, Red-breasted Linnet, Rose 

 Linnet, Greater Redpole, Red Linnet, Linnet Finch, 

 Red-headed Finch, Lintie, Linwliite. Sits close. 



LINNET, MOUNTAIN. Hee Twite. 



MALLARD. Hee Duck, Wild. 



MAGPIE. 



Bescri'ption of Parent Birds. — Length about 

 eighteen inches, more than half of which is 

 accounted for by the bird's abnormally long tail. 



