218 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



numbers. In North Italy large flocks of the species are at times to 

 be met with in the autumn months, even as early as the end of 

 September. In the neighbourhood of Turin I have sometimes seen 

 flock after flock passing throughout the day during the month of 

 November. 



In some parts of North Italy it is said that as many as a thousand 

 Bramblings are taken with nets in a single day. 



According to Savi and other Italian ornithologists, the Brambling 

 breeds in some of the mountains of Italy. 



In its habits this species is bright and active, being essentially 

 gregarious, and even breeding, it is said, in small communities. In 

 many ways it resembles the Common Chaffinch, but its notes are 

 altogether different, being more twittering, and in this respect resem- 

 bling those of the Greenfinch. Its food consists chiefly of seeds and 

 berries, but it also eats insects and their larvae. In confinement the 

 bird thrives well, and it is said to breed in captivity. 



ACANTHIS CANNABINA (Linnieus). 

 LINNET. 



Fringilla cannabina, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 322 (1766) ; Malherbc, Cat. 



Bais. d'Ois.Alg. p. 4 (1846). 

 Acanthis cannabina, Bechst. Om. Tascheub., i, p. 125 (1802) ; Sharpe, 



Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xii, p. 240 ; Erlangcr, J. f. 0. 1899, p. 467. 

 Linota cannabina, Lochc, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, p. 166 (1867) ; Whitaker, 



Ibis, 1894, p. 92. 

 Cannabina sanguinea, Kocuig, J. f. 0. 1888, p. 249 ; id. J. f. 0. 1893, 



p. 67. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Kasrin, Ceutral Tunisia. 



Forehead crimson ; crown, nape, ear-coverts and sides of neck greyish- 

 brown, striated on the nape with a darker brown ; back, scapulars and 

 wing-coverts chestnut-brown ; upper tail-coverts blackish, with broad white 

 margins ; tail blackish, margined with white, both on the outer and inner 

 webs; chin and throat whitish, striped with grey; breast light crimson; 

 rest of underparts whitish, becoming brown on the sides and Hanks. 



Iris dark brown ; bill brown, lighter below ; feet pale brown. 



Total length 5 inches, wing 3, eulmen -40, tarsus '70. 



