FINCHES 15 
Winter visitor and bird of passage chiefly to our East Coast 
districts, 
Bird, Length 5 in. Like the lesser-redpoll, which see, but 
is larger. Has the rump striated, and lacks the rufous tint in 
the brown of the back, 
17. Twite [Linota flavirostris flavirostris (Linnzus)]. Resi- 
dent except in S. and E. England, where it is seen only as 
a winter visitor and bird of passage. 
Bird. Length 5 in. Distinguished from the redpolls by 
having red on the rump only, conspicuous white on the inner 
primaries, the beak more or less yellow in summer as well as 
winter, to which fact it owes the name flavirostris, and no 
black on the chin and lores. Upper-parts brown with paler 
edgings. Breast and flanks buflish-white, striated brown. 
The hen and young have no red on the rump, which is 
striated. 
Nest. Place: variable—bushes, heather, on the ground 
under stones, sods, &c., in grass, walls, crevices of cliffs, 
rabbit burrows. Material: roots, grass, stems, moss, twigs, 
lined with wool, hair, &c. 
Eggs. Usually 4-6. Blue marked with dark red-brown. 
Av. size, ‘66 x *49in. Laying begins May. Probably two broods. 
18. Linnet, brown-linnet [Linota cannabina cannabina 
(Linnzeus)]. Resident and common in most parts. 
Bird. Length 54 in. Distinguished from redpolls and 
twite by the white margins of the tail-feathers. In summer 
the male has crimson on the crown, forehead, and breast, 
which in winter turns to grey. The back is chestnut, wing 
feathers dusky with white outer edges. The hen and young 
lack the crimson and are more striated. 
Nest. Usually in bushes, especially gorse, and in hedges. 
Material: roots, moss, grass, &c., lined with hair, wool, 
feathers, down. 
Eggs. Usually 4-6. Shades of pale or whitish-blue marked 
with purplish-red, and sometimes unmarked. Av. size, 
‘71x ‘51 in. Laying begins April-May. Broods usually 2. 
19. House-sparrow [Passer domesticus domesticus (Linneeus)]. 
Resident and common. : 
Bird. Length 6 in. Distinguished by the white cheek 
patch, the black gorget, the ash-grey on the crown and rump, 
the bluish-black beak, and the chestnut of the mantle. The 
hen has the head and rump brown, mantle pale rufous streaked 
dusky brown. Buff eye-stripe, under-parts dull buffish-white, 
beak brown. The young are much like the hen. In winter 
the grey and black of the cock are obscured by brown, the 
white by a dull yellowish tinge, and the beak becomes brown. 
