82 THE FINCHES 



4. Nest and Eggs. Nesting place : thick bushes, especially evergreen and 

 hedges. Nest : twigs and moss, neatly lined, usually with roots and a little hair, 

 and more rarely a few feathers or wool. (PL v.) It is constructed by both sexes 

 (Naumann ; Bailly, Ornith. de la Savoie) ; by the hen only (Petenyi, Ornith, Frag- 

 mente). The eggs, 4-6 in number, are clear greenish blue, marked with a few 

 spots and streaks of dark purplish brown, sometimes almost black, with faint 

 underlying markings, which generally are thicker towards the big end and sometimes 

 form a zone. Rare varieties have reddish markings on a white ground, or are white 

 without markings. (PL B.) Average size of 100 eggs, '77 x '57 in. [19'5 x 14'46 

 mm.]. Laying begins late in April or early in May. According to Bailly, Roux 

 (Ornith. provengale), and the Field (1874, xliii. p. 627), both sexes share in incubation. 

 " Chaque jour le male participe a I'incubation " (Bailly). According to the observa- 

 tion of others, this task is performed by the hen alone (Naumann ; F. Schlag, Der 

 Dompfaff ; Steele-EUiot, in litt. ; H. Saunders, Manual). Period of incubation 

 13-15 days. Incubated under a canary 13 days (W. Evans, Ibis, 1891). The young 

 remain in the nest from 2-3 weeks, according to the weather (F. Schlag, op. cit.). 

 Broods 1-2. [F. c. R. j. F. B. K.] 



5. Food. Seeds, hawthorn kernels, fruit buds. The young are fed partly on 

 insects and their larvae, and partly on seeds softened by the parents (H. Saunders, 

 Manual ; E. Hartert, Vogel der Paldarkt. Fauna) ; with semi-digested seeds when 

 3-4 days old (W. Farren, in litt.) ; with shelled and softened seeds (Naumann ; 

 Zander, Vogel Mecklenburgs). [F. B. K.] 



6. Song Period. In the breeding season. It has been heard singing in winter 

 (Ussher and Warren, op. cit.). The hen also sings, and, according to Petenyi 

 (op. cit.), begins to do so as soon as the young are able to take care of themselves, 

 continuing till the spring moult. [F. B. K.] 



