THE BRAMBLING. 97 



Characters. — No subspecies recognized. White ramp, chestnut - 

 buff wing-coverts, and yellow axillaries are distinctive. 



Field -CHARACTERS. — ^Tortoise-shell coloured ]ilumage is distinctive, 

 and renders it easily distinguishable from Chaffinch, with ^\-hich 

 it consorts, especially in beech-woods, or in mixed flocks of Green- 

 finches, Sparrows, and Chaffinches in stackyard or stubble. In 

 flight gre3dsh-white rump is diagnostic. A low trilling chorus 

 whicli Bra mb lings maintain can only be heard at close quarters, 

 but call-note, a harsh " scape," is audible at considerable distance. 

 True song seldom if ever heard in this country, but in April, just 

 before leaving, males utter a hoarse wheezing note, similar to, 

 but coarser than Greenfinch's " dwee." 



Brambling, from above. 



Breeding-habits. — Similar to Chaffinch's, nesting in birch-woods 

 and outskirts of coniferous forests, and buUding usually from 

 5 to 10 ft. from ground. Nest. — Rather larger and less finished 

 than Chaffinch's, of grasses, bents, etc., generally decorated bits 

 of birch-bark and lichens, lined hair, feathers, and sometimes 

 do^A-n. Eggs. — 5 to 7, but 8 have been found. Much same 

 types of colour and markings as Chaffinch's, ranging from clear 

 blue to deep brownish -olive, but often darker and greener than 

 normal Chaffinch's eggs and similarly marked. Average of 100 

 eggs, 19.5 X 14.6 mm. Breeding-season. — Mid-May to early June 

 or even July, according to latitude. iTicubation. — Probably 

 similar to Chaffinch's, but exact data lacking ; chiefly, at any rate, 

 performed by female. Probably single-brooded. 



Food. — Insects ; seeds of knot-grass and other weeds, beech-mast, 

 nuts, and wheat. 



Distribution and Migrations. — England and Wales. — Winter- 

 visitor, arriving north-east and east coasts England fourth week 

 Sept. to second week Nov., extremes Sept. 5 to Nov. 19, in varying 

 numbers, according to severity of weather. In south and west 

 England and in Wales, its numbers are still more dependent upon 

 weather-conditions, as well as supply of beech-mast. In some 

 years does not occur in extreme south-west and west. I\Iosi 

 return March, but many stay imtil April, and occasionally to IMay, 

 and exceptionally Jime (Yorks., Jime 30, 1907). Emigration 



