64 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS, 



trill, sometimes uttered from perch, but more often in flight, 

 which is wavering in character and usually at a height of thirty- 

 feet or more. 



Breeding-habits. — ^Tends to breed sociably, but many isolated 

 nests may also be found. Sites variable : sometimes high hedges 

 or isolated bushes, outskirts of plantations, young conifers, but 

 also at considerable heights in forest-trees, and exceptionally 

 young heather or bracken. Nest. — Recognizable by foundation 

 of twigs and roughly-furnished external appearance due to ends 

 of coarse bents and stalks ; lined white down, sometimes hair and 

 feathers. Eggs. — 4-5, occasionally 6, with same characteristics 

 as Mealy Redpoll. Occasionally found without markings. Average 

 of 100 eggs, 15.97 X 12.2 mm. Breeding-season. — Irregular ; a 

 few April, but usually latter half May or early June, and in Alps 

 from end April onwards. Apparently one brood as a rule 

 but sometimes two. Incubation. — Under a fortnight (11 days, 

 A. Taylor). 



Food. — Chiefly seeds (alder^ birch, bullrush, and many small 

 plants), but also minute insects and their eggs. 



Distribution. — England and Wales. — Resident. Breeds most 

 counties, but locally and especially so in southern England, and 

 Wales, and very sparingly in south-west England, while in extreme 

 south-west it is rare even in autumn and winter, when it becomes 

 more generally distributed elsewhere. Scotland. — Resident. More 

 generally distributed in wooded districts than in England, but 

 uncommon in north-west, and appears not to breed Caithness. 

 Breeds sparingly I. Hebrides, and has nested Barra (O. Hebrides). 

 Said to nest Orkneys, but rare at any time Shetlands. Ireland. — 

 Resident. Generally distributed, even in the bare west. 



Migrations. — British Isles. — Flocks said to arrive Yorks. coast 

 in mid-Sept, and Oct., and it becomes more generally common 

 east coast in winter. Some at least of our breeding birds appear 

 to emigrate in winter. No migration noted in Ireland. 



Distribution. — Abroad. — Alpine regions, probably also Carpa- 

 thians and Balkans, and possibly the Caucasus. 



CARDUELIS HORNEMANNI 



24. Carduelis hornemanni hornemanni (Holb.) — HORNE- 

 MANN'S REDPOLL. 



LiNOTA Hornemanni HolboU, Naturh. Tidskr., iv, p. 398 (1843 — 



Greenland). 



L. hornemanni, Yarrell, 11, pp. 141 and 144 (in text) ; Saunders, p. 189 



(in text). 



