49 



• 19. British Groldliiieli, Carduelis cartluelis l)rit.aniiica (Hart.). 



Eggs: Hewitson, I. Ed. I, pi. CXXXVII; II. Ed. I, pi. XLIV, fig. 1; 

 III. Ed. I, pi. L, fig. 1. Seebolim, Br. Birds, pi. 12; id. Col. Fig., pi. 56. 

 Frohawk, Br. Birds, I, pi. IV, fig. 129—130. 



British Local Names: England: Thistle Finch, Proud Tailor, 

 Flinch, Seven-coloured Linnet, King Harry, Redcap, Goldie; Grey Pate (juv.). 

 Welsh: Nicol, Jacknico. Scotland: Goldflinch. Erse: Kinyeen ore (phonetic). 



Carduelis elegans Steph. Dresser, Birds of Europe, III, p. 527 

 (partim); Newton, ed. Yarrell, II, p. 117; Saunders, Man., p. 173; Dresser, 

 Man. Pal. Birds, p. 274 (partim). Acanthis carduelis hritannicus Hart. 

 Hartert, Vog. Pal. Fauna, p. 68. 



Breeding Range: The British Isles, but almost extinct in Scotland 

 except in a few southern localities. 



Formerly this species appears to have been very generally distributed British 

 throughout the whole of England and Scotland, except on the mountain i^^*^^- 

 ranges. Its numbers have however been very greatly reduced by bird- 

 catchers, especially in the neighbourhood of large toAvns and in thickly 

 populated districts;* but the partial protection afforded by the Wild Birds 

 Protection Act has resulted in a decided increase of late years. At the 

 present time it is perhaps most numerous in the valleys of Wales, and 

 is not uncommon locally in many parts of England (see Zool. 1903, p. 23, 

 70, 104 etc., for fuller details). In Scotland it is now rare, though reported 

 as increasing in the Solway district and other localities in the south, and 

 formerly common locally; but a few isolated instances of breeding have 

 been reported from many districts, even from Skye and Caithness. To the 

 Hebrides and northern islands it is only a rare straggler. In Ireland it is' 

 very generally distributed and in some districts common, but has been 

 greatly thinned down in numbers near the towns. 



Very frequently the nest is built in a fruit tree (apple, pear, plum etc.) Nest. 

 and in north Staffordshire usually in a damson orchard; but in the south 

 of England a great many nests are placed far out on the spreading branches 

 of the chesnut, sycamore, elm, beech, or other leafy tree. It is met with 

 less commonly in high hedgerows, conifers and evergreens. Where trees 

 are scarce, as in the west of Ireland, it Avill breed in gooseberry bushes, 

 furze, ivy on walls etc. (Ussher). The nest is very artistically constructed 

 of roots, bents, lichens and a little moss, interwoven with wool; sometimes 

 lined with willow down, at other times with hair and wool, and it is said, 

 feathers. Dimensions: diameter 3 in., depth 2| — 3 in., diameter of cup 

 2 in., depth of cup IJ in. 



* See Zool 1860, p, 7143. 



