THE PERCHING BIRDS. 175 



small trees, is of twigs and grass, with a soft downy lining. 

 Eggs^ 4 to 6, f inch ; bluish grey, with brown spots. 



Living in the hills and mountains of the north, and 

 more especially in Scotland and Ireland, visiting the 

 lowlands and southern counties in winter, the 

 Twite is a duller bird than the foregoing, hav- 

 ing little or no red about its plumage, save on the rump. 

 The food of the " Mountain Linnet," as it is also called, con- 

 sists largely of seeds, as does indeed that of all the group. 

 It nests in May in low bushes, or close to the ground in 

 tufts, often near the sea-shore, and the nest is of grass, 

 with a soft lining. Eggs^ 3 to 6, ^ inch ; greenish, with 

 red spots and lines. 



The Bullfinch is widely distributed over the British 

 Islands, and is continually extending its range in Scotland 



and Ireland, in parts of which, especially on 

 Bullfinch.. .-I'-i-i', f 



the islands, it was, up to a few years ago, 



almost unknown. The bird is a favourite both on account 

 of its handsome plumage and for those imitative faculties 

 that atone for any weakness in its tuneful song. The 

 bullfinch has a glossy black head, red throat and breast, 

 while the rump, as well as some feathers in the tail and 

 wings, are white. The female is, both in voice and appear- 

 ance, an improvement upon most of her sex in the bird 

 world. The food of the bird consists of insects in the 

 warm months, supplemented by fruit and buds, as well 

 as by the seeds of various weeds. The nest, a shallow 

 platform of twigs, which, but for its spare lining of hair 

 and roots, would be a miniature of that of the ring- 

 dove, is placed about 5 feet or more from the ground 

 in bushes in the midst of woods. Eggs^ 4 to 6, ^ inch ; 

 pale blue, with a belt of reddish spots at the larger end. 

 A larger race, or sub - species, a rare wanderer from 

 Scandinavia, has been obtained in Yorkshire. 



Scarlet Grosbeak, the " Rosy Bullfinch " of some author- 



