136 CHOSSJJILL. 



arrests attention. On the larger ones they perch, and make 

 them at once their dining- table and their dinner 'mensas 

 consumimus:' sometimes the cone falls to the ground an 

 unfortunate turning of the tables for the poor bird. They 

 occasionally descend to drink. 



In spring, the note, though low, is pleasing and agreeable; 

 at other times while feeding, they keep up a constant chatter 

 a 'chip, chip,' and 'soc, soc,' accompanied by a movement 

 of the body, and in flying from one place to another, emit a 

 sharp tone. On warm sunny days, they sometimes indulge 

 in a sudden flight, and after disporting themselves about for 

 a short time in full chorus, alight on the tops of the trees, 

 continuing for a time a gentle warbling; both the male and 

 female sing. 



Nidification commences very early in foreign countries, 

 even in January or February, the young having been found 

 fledged in March. 



The nest is placed in the angle of the junction of the 

 branches to the tree, low down and also high up; and is 

 loosely compacted of small twigs, grass, small straws, and 

 moss, lined on the inside with the dry leaves of the fir tree, 

 and also with feathers. 



The eggs are white, sometimes tinged with blue or green, 

 and spotted, chiefly at the thicker end, with reddish, bluish 

 red, purple, or brown. 



These birds vary very greatly in size, as they also do in 

 colour, exhibiting a diversity of shades according to age or 

 season, of yellow, orange, red, scarlet, green, and olive. 

 Male; length, from six inches and a quarter to seven and 

 a half; the bill, which varies considerably in length, curvature, 

 and the degree of elongation of the lower mandible, is above 

 principally dark greyish brown, as is the tip of the lower bill, 

 the remainder being dull yellowish; the upper part sometimes 

 inclines to the right, and sometimes to the left, and the bill 

 has a lateral expansion as well as the ordinary one. Iris, 

 hazel; head and crown, pale dull red; neck behind and nape, 

 pale red mixed with grey; breast above, pale dull red with 

 a mixture of yellow, below greyish white, darker on the sides. 

 Back, on the middle part dusky red, the lower part bright 

 reddish yellow. 



The wings expand to the width of a little over clever, 

 inches and a third to eleven and three quarters; the second 

 quill is the longest, the first a trifle shorter, as is the third 



