48 BRITISH BIRDS. 



May, and suggests that Middendorff and Radde confounded this species 

 with the Rosy Bullfinch, which arrives earlier. 



The song of the Scarlet Rose-Finch is a very striking one, and not to 

 be confused with that of any other bird. It is a loud, clear whistle 

 tu-whit' , tu-tii'-t. It does not require a great stretch of imagination to 

 fancy the bird says, "Fm pleased' to see' you;" the word "see" being 

 strongly accented and slightly prolonged. This song is never varied, but 

 is sometimes repeated twice in rapid succession. When it is heard, the 

 bird may usually be seen perched conspicuously on the top of a bush or 

 low tree. The marshy forest- banks of the great Siberian rivers are a very 

 favourite resort of this bird; and in the Baltic Provinces, where it is 

 common, and in the valley of the Upper Volga, it is described as fre- 

 quenting willows and other low trees in marshy districts. 



The food of this bird consists of seeds of various kinds, grain, and the 

 buds of trees. In spring it eats insects, and in autumn berries and other 

 fruit. 



The nest of the Scarlet Rose-Finch is built in the fork of a small bush, 

 or amongst climbing plants not far from the ground. It bears little resem- 

 blance to the nest of a Finch, and might easily be mistaken for that of a 

 Warbler. It is composed of dry grass-stalks and lined with horsehair. 

 It is rather deep, and very neatly and carefully made, although it is so 

 slender as to be semitransparent when held up to the light. The inside 

 diameter is two inches and a quarter. Five is the usual number of eggs ; 

 but sometimes only four are laid, and occasionally as many as six. They 

 vary in length from '9 to '73, and in breadth from '63 to '55. The ground- 

 colour is greenish blue, not so pale as that of the eggs of the Bullfinch ; 

 the spots are also fewer, smaller, and blacker than in typical eggs of the 

 latter species. They are smaller than the eggs of the Bullfinch, and are 

 not likely to be mistaken for the eggs of any other bird. 



In the winter the Scarlet Rose-Finch ranges over the plains of India, 

 sometimes in large flocks, but more generally in small parties, frequenting 

 alike the groves, the gardens, and the jungle. At this season of the year 

 its habits much resemble those of the true Finches. In Gilgit they breed 

 at an elevation of 10,000 feet above the level of the sea, and fresh eggs 

 have been obtained there in the second half of July. Early in September 

 they leave the hills and come down into the valley, and soon migrate to 

 their winter-quarters. Captain Butler, describing its habits in Rajpootana, 

 west of Scinde, says that it is very fond of the watery nectar contained in 

 the flower of the Indian coral-tree (Erythrina indica), upon which tree the 

 bird is always found when it is in blossom. 



The adult male Scarlet Rose-Finch is a very brilliant bird, but he is 

 almost as much crimson as scarlet. The colour is most brilliant on the 

 head, rump, throat, and breast. The wings and tail are brown, each 



