128 BRITISH BIRDS 



of southern South America, that the rail-like, spotted tinamou a 

 bird that easily eludes one's sight among the grey and yellow herb- 

 age has the faculty of making itself invisible. The primitive 

 mind is much given to explanations of this kind. 



The nest, placed as a rule in the fork of a horizontal branch, is 

 composed of rootlets and moss, on a foundation of bents and twigs 

 of heather, and is lined with line dry grass and a little vegetable 

 down, sometimes with a few feathers. Five or six eggs are laid, 

 pale bluish green in ground-colour, and spotted with dark reddish 

 brown and pinkish grey under-markings. 



In autumn siskins unite in small flocks and migrate south- 

 ward ; and during winter they are found widely distributed over 

 the country, but are most numerous in the northern counties of 

 England. At this season they may be seen associating on trees 

 and bushes with goldcrests, redpolls, and titmice of different 

 species. 



Closely allied to the siskin and goldfinch, and in its colouring 

 intermediate between them, but differing in having the crown, 

 nape, and chin black, is the serin (Serinus hortulanus). It breeds 

 in North and Central Europe, and is only known in this country as 

 a rare straggler. 



Greenfinch. 

 Ligurinus chloris. 



Yellowish green variegated with yellow and ash-grey. Length, 

 six inches. 



It has been a subject of mild wonder to me that the greenfinch 

 is not more a favourite than I find him ; for he is almost more with 

 us than any other finch, and, in most cases, to know a bird well is to 

 like it. Few of our eighteen finches can be seen and heard close to 

 our houses. The brambling, siskin, redpoll, crossbill, and twite are 

 scattered about the country in the cold and songless season ; in 

 summer we see little or nothing of them. The linnet is fairly 

 abundant, but must be looked for on waste lands and commons ; 

 while the goldfinch, bullfinch, hawfinch, and tree-sparrow are either 

 so shy or so rare tha't, to most persons, they might be non-existent. 

 Three of our five buntings are common enough ; but these, too, are 

 birds of the open, that come Jittle about houses, and are without 



