98 BRITISH BIRDS, WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



tail-feathers have fairly broad yellow margins ; the feathers of the sides of the 

 neck have ashy edges ; the sides and flanks are washed with orange-tawny, the 

 black spots on the flanks are less prominent, and the beak becomes bright ochre- 

 yellow, with brown tip. 



The female somewhat resembles the male in winter plumage but is altogether 

 duller, the black of the upper parts being replaced by brown, and the bars on the 

 wings are much less prominent. The young at first are very like the female, but 

 the males quickly develop their characteristic colouring. 



The breeding plumage of the male is acquired without a moult, and it is said 

 that the change is effected by shedding the tips of the feathers. 



Although somewhat less active than the Chaffinch, this species is quite as 

 quarrelsome in the breeding season (at any rate in confinement) ; in winter, how- 

 ever, the flocks which travel about through woods and over fields in search of 

 food agree perfectly with one another and with Chaffinches. Speaking of them as 

 observed near Sheffield, Seebohm observes : " They are remarkably noisy birds, and 

 sit upon the tree-tops twittering to each other until dusk ; they sometimes fly up 

 into the air in a compact mass, and after wheeling round several times again alight. 

 They roost in the yew and holly trees, and a fair proportion of them seek quarters 

 in the ivy." 



The site chosen by the Brambling for its nest is usually at a height of from 

 fifteen to twenty feet from the ground in a birch or fir-tree, at the junction of a 

 branch with the trunk ; the nest has, however, been found in juniper bushes. In 

 his "Catalogue of Birds of the Dyke Road Museum, at Brighton," p. 126, the late 

 Mr. K. T. Booth says : " In the summer of 1866, while fishing on the river Lyoii, 

 in Perthshire, I had occasion to climb a beech-tree to release the line which had 

 become entangled in the branches, and while so engaged a female Brambling was 

 disturbed from her nest, containing three eggs, which was placed close to the stem 

 of the tree. As I was anxious to procure the young I left her, and on visiting 

 the spot in about a fortnight the nest was empty, and, judging by its appearance, 

 I should be of opinion that the young birds had been dragged out by a cat. This 

 is the only instance I have ever known of the Brambling attempting to rear its 

 young in Great Britain." 



In the "Field" for July 23rd, 1864, p. 52, the Rev. J. C. Atkinson recorded 

 the fact of a nest with five or six eggs having been taken at Baldersly Park, near 

 Thirsk, Yorks., by the Hon. Guy Dawnay. 



The nest is larger and more coarsely made than that of the Chaffinch, being 

 formed of white and buff birch-bark, moss, lichens, and spiders' web, and lined 

 with fine grass and feathers. The eggs, five to seven, usually six, in number, are 



