MOUNTAIN FINCH 



BRAMBLING BRAMBLE FINCH. 



PLATE LXXXI. 

 Fringilla montifringilla .... LINN.SUS. 



THE Brambling, which is a winter visitant throughout 

 the British Isles, has only once been known to breed 

 in a wild state in England. This occurrence was recorded 

 by Mr. Booth, who writes : " While fishing in the west of 

 Perthshire, in June 1866, I was forced to ascend a beech 

 tree to release the line, which had become entangled in 

 the branches, and while so engaged a female Brambling 

 was disturbed from her nest, containing three eggs, which 

 was placed close to the stem of the tree. Being anxious 

 to procure the newly fledged young as specimens, I left her 

 in peace ; and on again visiting the spot in about ten days 

 or a fortnight the nest was empty, and, judging by its 

 appearance, I should be of opinion that the young birds 

 had been dragged out by a cat." 



The nest, which is usually placed in fir, birch, or other 

 trees, about twenty feet from the ground, is formed of 

 moss, and lined with wool and feathers or thistle-down. 

 Mr. R. Dashwood, of Beccles, Suffolk, had these birds lay 

 in two instances, in the year 1839, and in the latter the 



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