SISKIN. 547 



trees, turning over the fallen mast, and eating part of the 

 kernels, as well as any seeds they could find among them. 

 In 1828 they again appeared; but in 1829 not one was 

 seen. In the winter of 1830 they were equally wanting." 



Mr. Drew of Paisley says, " Early in June 1833, at 

 which time I resided at Inverary, I went out one morning 

 to fish, and, according to my usual practice, I carried a 

 light gun with me. I was rather surprised, at that season, 

 to see a pair of Siskins among some furze bushes, on the 

 shore of Lochfine, and the birds being close together, I 

 killed both. On dissecting the female, an egg was found 

 ready for exclusion, and I never had any doubt but that 

 the birds were breeding in the neighbourhood, though I 

 did not look for, or see, the nest. It is very likely that 

 it was in some of the spruces, which were the predominant 

 trees in the place. I subsequently secured a pair of Siskins 

 in the same locality." 



A correspondent residing in the Vale of Alford, Aber- 

 deenshire, thus notices in Mr. London's Magazine of Na- 

 tural History, vol. vi., the appearance of the Siskin in the 

 breeding season. " A gentleman in the neighbourhood 

 observed some about the middle of May ; the first that I 

 noticed was on the 27th : it was picking seeds of grass on 

 the edge of the road, and was not at all shy ; I saw 

 others afterwards, at different times and places, till the 

 end of June." 



William Gardiner, Esq. jun. of Dundee, says of the 

 Siskin, " occasionally a pair or two linger with us during 

 the breeding season, and produce their young. Near the 

 end of May 1834, a nest full of young ones was found in 

 Camperdown Woods ; the nest was situated close to the 

 trunk, at the insertion of a branch of a spruce fir, about 

 six feet from the ground. It was composed of materials 

 similar to those used by the Chaffinch, and contained three 



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