52 



CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SEXES. Upper parts 



of the male a yellowish green ; lower parts 



' shading almost to white. The female is smaller, 



the upper parts brownish, lower parts whitish. 



Breast ash color, with faint yellow spots. 



LOCATION. Found throughout Europe Resi- 

 dent. 



GRAY LINNET. 



The song of this bird consists of several lively 

 strains, which succeed each other with great 

 harmony, in a sweet and soft tone. It can also 

 be taught tunes by whistling them to it, like the 

 Bullfinch, and will imitate the notes of other 

 birds ; and is much prized in its native country, 

 as a cage bird. As is the case with a good many 

 of our American birds, the Gray Linnet does not 

 arrive at maturity, either in its song or plumage, 

 until it is at least three years old, which has led 

 some to suppose that the same birds in different 

 stages of plumage were distinct species. 



In my youth I kept a great many of these 

 birds ; and from observations made since on 

 them, I am satisfied that the Gray Linnet, the 



