BIRDS OF THE WOODS 59 



Median coverts white, conspicuous in flight ; under parts 

 light purplish red, fading into white on under tail-coverts, 

 noticeable in flight. Bill blackish at tip, lead-colour 

 towards base ; very massive. Eye white. Legs flesh- 

 colour. Length 7 in. Female, duller throughout, and 

 white areas more dingy. Young, no black on throat or 

 grey on nape ; head yellower ; under parts paler ; upper 

 parts more or less mottled ; breast and flanks barred 

 with dark brown. 



Language. Song, rather like the Bullfinch's, but in- 

 ferior to it. It is usually a silent bird. Call-note, a 

 sharp clicking sound like " sit " three or four times 

 repeated. 



Habits. Being very shy it seems rarer that it 

 really is. Flight rapid and undulating. Sociable in 

 winter. 



Food. Chiefly seeds and berries of many kinds ; 

 sometimes caterpillars and insects. Fond of peas and 

 visits gardens to get them. 



Nest. May. One brood. 



Site. In thick hedge or tree in a wood. 



Materials. Twigs, stalks, roots, and lichens, lined 

 with fine roots, grass, and some hair. In form rather 

 like the Bullfinch's, but flatter and larger. 



Eggs. Four to six. Pale bluish green, spotted and 

 streaked with dark olive-brown, and faint grey under- 

 lying. 



SISKIN OR ABERDEVINE (Chrysomitris spinus). 



Resident in Scotland and some parts of Northern 

 Counties. Chiefly confined to the fir-woods of the North, 

 but it has bred sparingly in some of the southern counties. 

 In winter more generally distributed. 



Plumage. Crown, chin, and lores black. Yellow 

 stripe at back of eye. Upper parts olive-green, with 



