THE LINNETS. 43 



Adult Female. Similar to the male, but not having the 

 vinous rump, this part resembling the rest of the back. 

 Young Like the old female, but with a dusky bill. 



Range in Great Britain. A northern bird, breeding throughout 

 Scotland, and down to the Midland Counties. Breeds also in 

 Ireland in suitable localities. In the south only known as a 

 winter visitor. 



Range outside the British Islands. As in Great Britain, the 

 Twite is a northern bird, and its breeding-range is confined to 

 Western Europe, not extending beyond long. 25 ; it only 

 nesting in suitable districts in Norway. It winters to the south, 

 but rarely reaches the Mediterranean countries. 



Habits. The Twite is a moorland species, and in all its 

 ways resembles the Linnet, except in its mode of n :sting. As 

 with most Finches, its food consists of seeds, but during the 

 nesting season it consumes a great many insects and rears its 

 young "upon them. In winter it migrates south in large flocks, 

 which frequent the neighbourhood of the coast, and enliven 

 the marshes with their twittering song, which is very cheery 

 when uttered by a hundred or more birds in concert. The note 

 resembles that of a Redpoll or Siskin more than the voice of 

 a Linnet. 



Nest. Cup-shaped and very neatly made, composed of moss 

 and twigs of heather, lined with finer rootlets, wool, feathers or 

 thistle-down. It is often placed on the ground, but sometimes 

 in a tree or among heather. 



Eggs. Four to six in number. Ground-colour light blue or 

 bluish white with red or purple spots and lines, generally 

 clustered at the larger end of the egg, with an occasional larger 

 spot or scribbling of blackish brown. Axis, 07-075 inch ; 

 diam., 0-5-0-55. 



THE LINNET. CANNABINA CANNABINA. 



Fringilla cannabina, Linn., S. N., i., p. 322 (1766). 

 Linaria cannabina, Macg., Br. B., i., p. 371 (1837) ; Dresser, 

 B. Eur., iv., p. 31, pi. 186 (1875). 



