NATURE'S CAROL SINGERS. 



comparatively rare, on account of the 

 reclamation of waste lands having 

 destroyed its seed-food plants, such as 

 the thistle and burdock, and the heavy 

 demands made upon its numbers for 

 cage pets. Of course, a check has now 

 been put upon the latter source of 

 drainage to a great extent by the Wild 

 Birds' Protection Acts, and the birds 

 are obtained from Germany. 



During recent years I have met with it 

 breeding in Surrey, Sussex, Suffolk, Nor- 

 folk, Devonshire, and Westmorland. I 

 know a place in the second-named county 

 where as many as ten pairs bred in one 

 season, and within the last half-dozen 

 years I have twice seen small flocks in 

 the autumn near London, which, let us 

 hope, is an encouraging sign. 



It is now rare in Scotland, but has 

 been described as still common in the 

 poorer and wilder parts of Ireland. 



The Goldfinch is a migratory bird, 

 although a few individuals winter with 

 us, and are known in the spring from 

 members of the species that have spent 

 the cold season farther south by their 

 less brilliant colours. 



The nest is placed in the fork of an 

 apple, pear, or other fruit tree in orchards 

 178 



