358 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



streaked with dusky-black. Legs, toes, and claws 

 brown. 



The female is smaller, and lacks the black on 

 the crown and chin. Her upper-parts are olive- 

 brown, throat and breast greenish-yellow, and rest 

 of under-parts greyish-white. With the exception 

 of the centre of the belly she is streaked all over 

 with dusky-black. 



Situation and Locality. In plantations, woods, 

 and forests. Its nest has been found, on very 

 rare occasions in different parts of England, in furze 

 and juniper bushes ; but in Scotland, where it 

 breeds sparingly, it adopts higher situations amongst 

 the forks and branches of fir-trees. It breeds regu- 

 larly in the south of Ireland, where, thanks to our 

 friend Mr. Ussher, the accompanying photograph 

 was obtained. 



Materials. Slender twigs, dried grass, and moss, 

 lined internally with hair, rabbit or vegetable down, 

 and sometimes a few feathers. 



Egg 8 - Four to six, greyish-white, tinged with 

 green or pale bluish-green, spotted and speckled 

 with rusty and dark brown spots, sometimes streaked 

 with the darker colour. The markings are gener- 

 ally scattered over the surface of the eggs, but are 

 sometimes collected round the larger ends. They 

 resemble those of the Goldfinch very closely indeed, 

 but are said to run larger, and the ground-colour to 

 be of a darker tinge. The situation of the nest and 

 a sight of the owner are the only reliable evidences, 

 however. Size about .66 by .52 in. (See Plate III.) 



Time. April, May, and June. 



Remarks. A winter visitor of erratic appear- 

 ance ; a few resident. Notes : call, a metallic 

 keet ; alarm note, chuck- a- chuck, keet. Some natur- 



