THE FINCHES 113 



dreaded robber of the eggs and young of small birds, when compelled 

 to leave its nest for food or any other purpose it generally hides the 

 eggs amongst the moss at the bottom of the nest." Seeing that the 

 moss is beneath the wool and feathers on which the eggs lie, this 

 surely is very remarkable, nor do I know that a similar habit has been 



J V 



observed in any other of our finches. 



I may here, however, refer incidentally to an interesting and 

 somewhat similar trait of character which has been observed in the 

 crossbill. " If," says Keller, " the bird finds itself under observation 

 whilst in the neighbourhood of its nest, it drops suddenly, like a lump 

 of lead, from the tree, 2 and disappears amidst the underwood. It 

 shortly emerges upon the other side, to repeat the manosuvre if paid 

 further attention to, and, if followed, will lead the intruder farther 

 and farther from its nest, until, satisfied with the success of its 

 stratagem, it mounts aloft and flies back." The account, however, 

 is not perfectly clear. On the other side of what does the bird 

 reappear, and from what does it continue to fall when the nesting-tree 

 has been left ? 



Coming to the goldfinch, his nest too is a most artistic produc- 

 tion, less finished, perhaps, and not so exactly shaped outwardly as that 

 of the chaffinch, yet, whilst the interior with its thick mattress of thistle- 

 down, surmounted by a thinner one of horse-hair, on which the bird 

 reposes, is beautifully rounded and of delicate proportions, the more 

 massive foundation which fixes it to the bough, being all or mostly of 

 green moss, whether culled from earth or tree, has a particularly pleas- 

 ing appearance. From this mossy basis, or pedestal, rises a varied 

 assortment of roots, stems, brown fibres, lichens, and such woodland 

 upholstery, over and about the whole of which pass the grey webs of 

 spiders or the spinnings of caterpillars, giving it a softened and misty 

 appearance. Feathers and thistledown made all snug within. Neat 

 the nest may be, but this is not its best beauty. Conjoined with and 



1 Quoted in Sharpe and Dresser's Birds of Europe. 



2 As I understand from the context. 



3 Naumann, Naturgeschichte der Vogel Alitteleuropas, iii. 



