Season. 



86 



Nest. Very similar in construction to that of the Chaffinch, but as a rule 



less neatly finished and rather larger. The materials used also vary 

 according to locality, some nests being almost entirely composed of bents 

 and dry grasses, while other are covered externally with fragments of 

 birch bark, lichens, etc. and lined with feathers, hair, and willow down. 

 It is usually built at the junction of a bough with the stem of a birch or 

 small fir, at a height of from 6 to 10 ft., but occasionally much higher. 

 External diameter about 4-|- in., diameter of cup 2^ — 2^ in., depth 

 about li in. 

 Eggs. Generally 5 to 7 in number, and somewhat similar in character to 



those of the Chaffinch, from which they differ as a rule in their darker 

 and more greenish ground colour and more cloudy and less distinct 

 markings. The variety with a pale blue ground occurs only rarely, but 

 has been taken in Lapland by Meves. 



Breeding In the valleys of southern and middle Scandinavia the laying season 



begins about mid-May, and on the mountains at least a week later, but 

 in the north of the country eggs are usually found in June and even July 

 and in Lapland the first clutches are taken early in June. On Karlo 

 Sandman found eggs from May 20 to June. Probably one brood only 

 is reared in the season. 



Measure- Average of 100 eggs (83 measured by Rey and 26 by the writer) 



from Lapland and Norway, 19.5 X 14.6 mm., Max. 22.2 X 15.6 mm., Min. 

 18.1 X 13.5 mm. Average weight of 83 eggs, 126 mg. (Rey). 



38. Siiowfinch, Moiitifriiigilla iiiyalis (L.). 



Eggs: Thienemann, Fortpfl., Tab. XXXVI, fig. 7. Baedeker, Tab. XII, 

 fig. 4. 



Foreign Names: Bohemia: Penkava podhorni. France: Pinson de 

 neige, Niverolle. Germany: Schneefink. Greece: Chiondda. Hungary: Havasi 

 Pinty. Italy: Fringuello alpino. Poland: Losczak zniczek. 



Montifringilla nivalis (L.). Dresser, Birds of Europe, III, p. 617; id. 

 Man. Pal. Birds, p. 297. if. nivalis nivalis (L.). Hartert, Vog. Pal. 

 Fauna, p. 132. 



Breeding Range: Sierra Nevada, Pyrenees, Alps, the mountain 

 ranges of the Balkan peninsula and perhaps also the Apennines. [Also 

 Palestine (?).] 

 Con- In Spain Dr. A. C. Stark found these birds very common in the Sierra 



Nevada at 3000 to 6000 ft. in small flocks, and probably it also occurs 

 in the Sierra Guadarrama. In the central P}Tenees it is generally distributed 

 along the snow line, among the outcrops of rock, and is not uncommon. 

 Along the whole Alpine range it is locally common in summer above 



ments. 



tinental 

 Europe 



