158 PASSERES. COLIAD^S. 



brown, often forming a rude crown around the 

 larger end. 



In addition to the poetical allusions to this fa- 

 vourite bird, already quoted, we subjoin the ac- 

 curate description of its nest by Grahame, the 

 biographer of the birds of Scotland : 



M The Goldfinch weaves, with willow-down inlaid, 

 And cannach-tufts, his wonderful abode. 

 Sometimes, suspended at the limber end 

 Of plane-tree spray, among thg broad-leafed shoots, 

 The tiny hammock swings to every gale ; 

 Sometimes in closest thickets 'tis concealed ; 

 Sometimes in hedge luxuriant, where the briar, 

 The bramble, and the plum-tree branch, 

 Warp through the thorn, surmounted by the flowers 

 Of climbing vetch, and honeysuckle wild." * 



FAMILY V. COLIAD.E. 



(Colies.) 



A few singularly-formed birds constitute the pre- 

 sent Family, whose relations have been the subject 

 of considerable diversity of opinion among orni- 

 thologists. Their beak is short, powerful, conical, 

 somewhat compressed at the sides, the two man- 

 dibles being arched, the point of the upper slightly 

 overhanging the lower. The feathers of the tail 

 are much graduated, exceedingly long and rigid ; 

 they are but ten in number, thus varying from 

 what is customary among birds, the almost con- 

 stant number being twelve, and agreeing in this 

 respect with the Swifts ; as they do also in another 

 remarkable peculiarity, that the hind toe is ca- 

 pable of being turned forwards, so that all the 

 four toes point in one direction. These coinci- 



* Birds of Scotland, 49. 



