406 THE SISKIN. 



The Siskin. 

 (Carduelis Spinus.) Steph. ( Fringilla Spinus.) Linn. 



" The bird that charmed his summer day 

 Is now the cruel fowler's prey ; 

 Let witness trusting woman say 

 How aft her fate's the same, jo." — Bums. 



This handsome bird is an occasional winter visitant here. I 

 have seen it along with the lesser redpoll and others in large 

 flocks near stackyards in severe winters. In summer it feeds 

 on the seeds of the alder, birch, and larch trees ; also on thistle, 

 dandelion, and other seeds. I have little doubt but it breeds in 

 Fife, as well as in other parts of Scotland, for many instances 

 are recorded of its breeding in East Lothian, Braemar, Ettrick- 

 vale, Killin, Selkirk, Galloway, Ross-shire, and in large woods 

 near Elgin. Mr Selby and Sir William Jardine saw both birds 

 and nests in June near Killin in a wood of old lofty pines, so 

 high they could not reach the nests. Mr Yarrell says two 

 nests were got in furze three feet from the ground. The eggs 

 of both were taken and hatched by canaries. Mr Gardiner, of 

 Dundee, got a nest with young in Camperdown Woods on a 

 spruce fir branch six feet from the ground, built of the same 

 material as a chaffinch's. Mr Hancock got one with four eggs 

 near Inverness, and on May 2nd got other two with young ones 

 — one with live, the other with four and a rotten egg, near Elgin 

 — all three nests being near the extremity of spruce fir 

 branches ; the foliage so dense the nests could hardly be seen, 

 like gold-crested wrens. He also got one from Ross-shire only 

 3 inches diameter outside, and If by 1^ deep inside, composed 

 of moss, twigs, and fine fibres, lined with a few hairs, some 

 thistledown, feathers, and wool. This nest was less than the 

 chaffinch's, but the bird is less— only 4| by 9 inches, against 

 6 J and 11 J — nearly as small as the lesser redpoll, the smallest 

 of the British passerines. Mr Weir, of Bathgate, knew one on a 

 spruce fir in a hedge near his house with four ripe young ones, 

 which flew when disturbed. The nest was against the trunk, 

 five and a half feet up, and within twelve yards of the Glasgow 

 roa d — the best concealed he ever saw, else the boys who passed 

 daily in search of nests would have seen it. The young were 



