THE LINNET 



but in autumn and winter it assembles into flocks and a 

 more cosmopolitan existence is passed. Like the Redpole 

 it obtains much of its food at these seasons upon the 

 ground, resorting to rough wastes and weed-grown fields 

 where an abundance of small seeds can be obtained. A 

 marked characteristic of these bands of Linnets is their 

 garrulousness, and often some tree-top literally jingles 

 with a concert of twittering cries, the combined musical 

 effect of which is very pleasing. In addition to numerous 

 small seeds, this species in summer subsists largely on 

 insects and larvae. Early in spring the flocks break up 

 into pairs and scatter over the nesting-areas, and then the 

 males may be seen sitting on the exposed sprays of the 

 gorse and other bushes warbling their sweet little love- 

 song. At this season the Linnet looks his best, and he is 

 fond of displaying his charms on any bare twig, evincing 

 little fear of man. This species usually rears two broods 

 in the season, eggs for the first being laid in April, for the 

 second in June. The bird pairs annually, and the favourite 

 site for the nest is amongst gorse and broom. The nest 

 is made of dead sprays of the gorse, fine twigs, dry grass, 

 and moss, and neatly lined with hair, wool, vegetable 

 down, and feathers. In this beautifully rounded cup 

 the hen lays five or six eggs, pale bluish green, spotted 

 and speckled, mostly in a zone round the larger end, with 

 dark reddish brown and paler brown and grey. The 

 male often betrays the vicinity of the nest by his persistent 

 habit of singing close to it. 



The adult male Linnet has a crimson patch on the fore- 

 head extending to the crown ; the remainder of the head, 

 as well as the nape and the sides of the neck, are dingy 

 grey ; the back is reddish brown, paler on the rump, and 

 streaked with dull black ; the wings are dark brown 

 margined with dull white, the wing-coverts and innermost 

 secondaries with darker centres ; the upper tail-coverts 

 and tail are black, the latter with white margins, broadest 



M 177 



