188 ADDENDA 
squirrels, and opens them with a loud rap- 
ping noise which may be heard quite a long 
distance off, and also attracts attention). 
The Siskin is a pretty little yellow and 
black winter visitor, 44 inches long, with some- 
thing of the habits of the blue tit (tomtit), 
and looks something like a very lively little 
goldfinch, but is of a greenish tint.1| Many are 
caught in autumn and winter for keeping in 
cages (out of the small flocks that come south), 
for its appearance and pretty little titterings, 
for this is all its song. They are occasionally 
seen near London and are very fond of alder 
trees. It sometimes. nests. m) Scotland) am 
pine-fir woods, rarely farther south. 
The Brambling, or Mountain Finch, comes 
near London sometimes. It is a winter visitor 
only and arrives in September and October 
and flies about in flocks alone or with the 
chafinches and greenfinches and _linnets. 
It is very fond of beech woods and the beech 
seeds (beech mast). It is of a robust appear- 
ance, length 6 inches (about). The plumage 
1 The males show much bright yellow on wings and 
tails in flight. 
