THE BRITISH BULLFINCH. 77 



little longer or shorter than second ; 3rd to 6th emarginated 

 outer webs. Secondaries equal 10th primary, tips rounded. 

 Tail almost square very slightly forked. Bill short, very wide 

 and thick with sharp, slightly overlapping point. Small gape- 

 bristles. 



Soft parts. — Bill black, brownish at base of lower mandible ; 

 legs and feet brown ; iris brown. 



Characters and allied forms. — Male of P. p. europcea cannot 

 be distinguished from male of this fonn but female is greyer, not 

 so brown on mantle and back, and rather paler more greyish on 

 breast than female of P. p. pileata. For differences of P. p. 

 pyrrhula see under tliat form. P. p. kamtschatica (Kamtschatka) 

 and P. p. caspica (Caspian) differ in size and shade of colour, but 

 in P. p. murina (Azores) male is like female, and male of P. p. 

 cassini (east Siberia) is pale grey on under-parts, while that of 

 P. p. griseiventris (north Ch'na, Japan) has only tliroat and 

 cheeks pink. 



Field-characters. — ^Unmistakeable in the open, but, except in 

 early spring when feeding on fruit-buds, it seldom leaves cover 

 of thickets and dense hedge-rows. Rump pure white, contrasted 

 with grey upper-parts, and black wings, tail, and head, betray it 

 as it takes short flights along hedge-row. Its presence often first 

 revealed by call-note, a soft, low, piping " whib." 



Breeding-habits. — Breeds in gardens, thick hedges, clumps of 

 evergreens (especially box), also yews, and in plantations. Nest. — 

 Usually about four to seven feet from ground, built of fine tmgs 

 and some moss or lichens, lined with thick layer of interlacing 

 fine black roots. Sometimes extremely slightly, at others very 

 stoutly, constructed. Eggs. — Usually 4-5, occasionally 6 or even 

 7 ; clear green-blue with few spots and a streak or two of extremely 

 dark purple-brown, generally tending to form zone at big end. 

 Varieties with reddish markings on white groimd occur. Average 

 of 83 eggs, 19.58 X 14.46 mm. Breeding-season. — ^Exceptionally 

 eggs latter part April, but generally during May, and second brood 

 a month later. Incubation. — Lasts 13-14 days, and is performed 

 chiefly by hen, cock taking some part daily. Fledging -period. — 

 2-3 weeks. 



Food. — Chiefly buds, seeds, and kernels of berries. Insects to 

 some extent in spring, but bulk of food vegetable, and damage 

 is done to fruit-trees in early spring. 



Distribution. — Confined to British Isles. — British Isles. — Resident. 

 Generally distributed, but rather local in Scotland. Recently 

 spread to some I. Hebrides, and recorded from Harris and North 

 Uist (O. Hebrides). Its recorded visits to Orkneys and Shetlands- 

 may be referable to P. p. pyrrhula (see p. 75). 



