26 WILD BIRDS 



their new nests on gorse commons or in wayside 

 hedges. The hen linnet is always waited on closely 

 by her mate. Linnets are so abundant we are apt 

 to overlook their good points. But sometimes their 

 beauty and spright flash on us, a discovery of 

 delight, when the cock bird perches on a twig on 

 the top of the wayside hedge very near us and sings 

 his best. His breast is dabbled with the reddest 

 rose few English birds have anything so bright 

 his carriage is upright, and his spirit all that can 

 be gay and lively. Whether the cock linnet helps 

 to find a nesting site, I cannot say, but he is no 

 builder. I have never seen him pick up a bit of 

 grass or other building material ; he has not the 

 slightest nest-making instinct or skill. Yet I know 

 of no English bird which waits so closely, more 

 gallantly, on his mate whilst she is building. He 

 goes to and fro with her each journey between the 

 nest and the ground where materials are gathered. 

 This is a fixed habit with cock linnets. When we 

 see a hen linnet gathering material for a nest, we 

 can feel sure her mate is close at hand, and that, 

 when her bill is full, and she rises with her little 

 conversational twittering, he will swiftly respond, 

 and rise and fly off with her. 



What purpose is served by this gallantry of the 

 male linnet towards his mate when she is busy 

 making her nest is not clear. He will drive away 

 other birds that venture near her whilst she is 

 collecting, but is it likely any intruder would wish 

 to rob her of a dried grass or a horsehair ? If we 



