130 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



The female is somewhat similar, but is said to 

 have a more slender beak, the red on her head to 

 be less in area, and often speckled with black, and 

 the smaller coverts of the wings to be dusky-brown 

 instead of black. 



Situation and Locality. In the fork of an apple, 

 pear, or other fruit-tree in gardens and orchards ; 

 on the boughs of chestnut and sycamore trees, 

 evergreens, and sometimes in thick hedgerows. 

 Sparingly throughout England, in some parts of 

 Scotland, and widely, though not numerously, in 

 Ireland. 



Materials. 'Moss, fine roots, dry grass straws, 

 bits of wool, lichens, and spiders' webs, lined with 

 feathers, willow down, and hairs. It is a neat 

 little cup-shaped structure, the materials of which 

 depend to some extent upon what the bird may 

 find lying around. 



Eggs. Four to six, greyish, or greenish- white, 

 spotted and streaked with light purplish and reddish- 

 brown and grey. The markings are, as a rule, most 

 numerous round the larger end. The eggs of this 

 species generally run smaller in size than those of 

 the Greenfinch and Linnet, but closely resemble 

 them in colour. Size about .66 by .51 in. (See 

 Plate II.) 



Time.* May, June, and July. 



Remarks. Migratory and resident. Notes : call, 

 ziflit, or sticklit ; song : shrill twittering and warb- 

 ling, and containing the syllable fink. Local and 

 other names : Gold Spink, Draw-water, Thistle 

 Finch, Grey Kate, or Pate, Goldie, King Harry, 

 Redcap, Proud Tail. Sits pretty close, and flies 

 away without demonstration. 



