Il6 British Birds ^ 



it, their colour " pale bluish green, spotted with 

 orange-brown, and principally at the larger end." 

 The ground-colour seems to vary to greenish-grey, 

 and the spots to become more of a reddish tinge. 

 (See Mr. Warde Fowler's " Year with the Birds," pp. 

 23, 24, for very interesting notes on these birds,) — - 

 Fig. \% plate IV. 



LINNET — {Linota cannahind). 



Common Linnet, Grey Linnet, Red Linnet, Brown 

 Linnet, Whin Linnet, Linnet Finch, Red-headed Finch, 

 Greater Redpoll, Rose Linnet, Lint-white, Lintie. — No 

 wonder school-boys and country boys had, and have, 

 three or four different names for this one bird (accord- 

 ing to the differences of plumage due to age, sex, or 

 season), when even naturalists made two species of it. 

 The male in his full plumage, with red poll and rose 

 breast and bright brown plumage, is a handsome bird, 

 and, compared with the female or the young, a very 

 " fine bird " indeed. It is common enough in most 

 districts, and pretty sure to be met with where there 

 is much furze. The nest is frequently to be found in 

 the midst of thick furze covers ; but like Mr. Hewit- 

 son, I have found it commonly in thickish thorn- 

 hedges, and very often in small and single furze 

 bushes. It is made of small twigs and bents and 

 moss, and often lined with a copious cushion of wool 

 merely ; at other times, with some hair and vegetable 

 down. The eggs vary greatly in size, as well as in 

 colour and markings, but usually they are of a pale 

 bluish-white ground, speckled with red of different 



