BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



211 



LARK, SKY. See SKYLARK. 



LARK, WOOD. See WOODLARK. 



LINNET. 



(Linota cannabina.) 

 Order PASSERES ; Family FRINGILLID^E (FINCHES). 



Description of Parent Birds. 

 Length about five and a half 

 inches. Bill short, broad at 

 the base, sharp-pointed, and 

 bluish-grey in colour. Irides 

 hazel. The plumage is subject 

 to great variation. Forepart 

 and top of head brownish-red; 

 rest of head, back, and sides of 

 neck brownish-grey ; back and 

 upper wing-coverts deep rufous- 

 brown ; wing - quills dusky, 

 edged with white ; upper tail-coverts dark brown ; 

 tail-quills brownish-black, edged with white, except 

 the two centre feathers. Chin and throat and 

 under-parts dirty reddish-brown, the red being 

 brightest on the breast and very variable in its 

 intensity, some having very little of it present. 

 Legs, toes, and claws brown. 



The female is a trifle smaller, lacks the red on the 

 top of the head and breast, the feathers on her 

 head, neck, back, and rump being dark brown, edged 

 with a paler tint of the same colour ; her under- 

 parts are dull yellowish-brown, streaked with dark 

 brown. She is said to have less white on the wing- 

 quills. 



LINNET. 



