254 BlilTISH BIRDS' XESTS. 



SISKIN. 



Description of Parent Birds. — Length nearly five 

 inches. Bill short, conical, sharp-tipped, and orange- 

 brown. Irides dusky brown. Top of head black ; 

 over and under each eye is a yellowish streak. Sides 

 of head yellowish-green ; nape and wings (except 

 greater coverts and quills, which are brownish- 

 black, tipped and bordered with yellow) greenish- 

 olive, streaked with black ; rump yellow ; upper tail- 

 coverts greenish-olive. Tail slightly forked, and 

 dusky black, yellowish on the upper half, with the 

 exception of the middle pair of feathers. Chin 

 black, throat and breast yellowish-green ; belly, sides, 

 flanks, vent, and nnder tail-coverts, greyish-white, 

 streaked with dusky black. Legs, toes, and claws 

 brown. 



The female is smaller, and lacks the black on 

 the crown and chin. Her upper-j^arts are olive- 

 brown, throat and breast greenish-yellow, and rest 

 of under-parts greyish-white. With the exception 

 of the centre of the belly she is streaked all over 

 with dusky black. 



Situation and LocaJit//. — -In plantations, woods, 

 and forests. Its nest has been found on very 

 rare occasions in different parts of England, in 

 furze and juniper bushes; but in Scotland, where 

 it breeds sparingly, it adopts higher situations 

 amongst the forks and branches of fir-trees. 



Materials. — Slender twigs, dried grass, and moss, 

 lined internally with hair, rabbit or vegetable down, 

 and sometimes a few feathers. 



Eggs. — Four to six, greyish-white, tinged with 

 green or pale bluish-green, sjjotted and speckled 

 with rusty and dark brown spots, sometimes streaked 



