Their Eggs and Nests. 1 1 5 



thistle-down, willow-down, feathers, hairs, etc., accord- 

 ing to the choice afforded by the locality of the nest. 

 The eggs are four or five in number, are bluish white 

 or pale grey, spotted with greyisli puiple and red 

 brown, and sometimes a little streaked with the 

 same. — Fig. 10, plate IV. 



SISKIN — {Cardnelis spinus). 

 Aberdevine. — Only a winter visitor; and though 

 not very uncommon at that season in many parts of 

 Britain, yet it has been known to nest with us so very 

 rarely that it seems scarcely requisite to give any 

 account of either nest or eggs in this place. 



MEALY '^YJ)YO\A^—{Linota linaria ; formerly, 

 L, canescens). 



Only a winter visitor to this country, and in vary- 

 ing numbers in different years. Many were obtained 

 in one or two of the counties adjoining the Metropolis 

 many years since ; but no instance, I believe, is known 

 of its remaining with us to breed. 



LESSER REDPOLL— (Z^V^^/^ linaria). 



Common Redpoll, Lesser Red-headed Finch, Rose 

 Linnet. — This is a winter visitor to the southern 

 counties of England; but remains all the year round in 

 Scotland and some parts of north England. The nest 

 seems to be built in some situation not too high above 

 the ground ; for instance, in a bush or stunted tree ; 

 and is made of moss and bents, and like some of those 

 of the Common Linnet, with willow-down and the 

 like. There are usually four or five eggs deposited in 



