By River and Pool. 1 9 1 



nest in the county, although we beHeve the Siskin 

 has been known to breed therein, as well as in many 

 other counties farther south. As previously re- 

 marked, the favourite summer home of the Siskin is 

 the pine -woods of Scotland. Very engaging these 

 birds are in the alder-trees, as they cling in almost 

 every possible attitude and pick out the seeds. 

 They also visit the birch-trees in the same localities, 

 and here they are sometimes joined by a company of 

 Bramblings. These larger and heavier-looking birds 

 are equally at home amongst the long slender twigs, 

 hanging head downwards like a Tit or a Goldcrest, 

 and swaying to and fro like animated pendulums, all 

 the time keeping up a chorus of twittering notes. 

 Possibly the Brambling is a life-paired species, for 

 we have often witnessed various little marks of 

 affection between the sexes durinp- winter. The 

 Titmice are equally engaging. Five out of the half- 

 dozen British species may be met with singly in 

 parties or in mixed companies amongst the alders 

 and birches along the river-side, each one with its 

 characteristic note and all with the acrobat-like ways 

 that ever make them so amusing. These remarks 

 more specially relate to autumn and winter; in spring 

 they scatter far and wide to less riparian haunts to 

 rear their young in spots that fancy or necessity 

 requires. 



In autumn many of these mill-dams are recognized 



