NATURE'S CAROL SINGERS. 



The Bullfinch breeds in suitable locali- 

 ties throughout the British Isles, but, 

 according to my experience, is common- 

 est in the South of England. Its nest 

 is of rather singular construction, con- 

 sisting of a little platform of slender 

 dead twigs cleverly interlaced with a 

 somewhat shallow recess in the middle, 

 beautifully lined with fine, fibrous roots 

 and sometimes a little hair. The struc- 

 ture is placed from three to six feet from 

 the ground, as a rule, in whitethorn, 

 blackthorn, briar, and other bushes, also 

 in yew and other evergreen trees grow- 

 ing in gardens, shrubberies, woods, and 

 thick hedgerows. 



The eggs number from four to six, 

 of a pale, greenish-blue ground colour, 

 spotted, speckled, and sometimes streaked 

 with purplish-brown, most thickly at 

 the larger end. 



The female Bullfinch is a confiding 

 creature whilst brooding, as will be 

 gathered by my readers when I state 

 that the one figured in our illustration 

 became so tame through kind and gentle 

 treatment that she would actually allow 

 me to take her in my hand and place 

 her in any attitude I wished upon the 

 nest before taking a photograph of her. 

 193 



