38 GREENFINCH. 



Habits. It feeds like the last two on the wing, but the 

 flight is far more vacillating. Although weak-billed, it tunnels 

 into the faces of sand and gravel-pits for the purpose of nest- 

 site. Breeds in colonies. 



Food. Insects. 



Nest. May onwards. Two broods. 



Site. In gravel- or sand-pits, in railway- cuttings, &c., the 

 tunnel being two or three feet long, terminated by the nest 

 cavity. 



Materials. Dry grass, straw, and rootlets loosely put together, 

 with a lining of feathers. 



Eggs. Four to six. White and slightly glossy. 



Family FRINGILLIDJE. 

 Subfamily COCCOTHRAUSTIN^. 



GREENFINCH (Ligurinus chloris). 



Resident. Abundant throughout Great Britain, except in 

 the extreme North. 



Haunts. Shrubberies in gardens, orchards, outskirts of 

 woods, &c. 



Plumage. Yellowish green, variegated with yellow and ash- 

 grey. Bill flesh-coloured and rather massive. Legs horn- 

 brown. Length 6 in. Female, rather smaller and browner. 

 Young, much like female. 



Language. Song, bright and clear, but always terminating 

 with a monotonous " zshweer." Another note is " did-it-it." 



Habits. Sociable, even in the breeding season. It likes to 

 hide among the leaves of some moderately tall tree, where, for 

 hours, it will utter its " zshweer " note, especially in sultry 

 weather. In autumn and winter they go about in foraging 

 parties. In flight the yellowish margins of the primaries are 

 rather conspicuous, as is also the yellower green of the tail. 



Food. Grubs, caterpillars, and various kinds of seeds. 



Nest. April onwards. Two broods or more. 



Site. In the middle of thick hawthorn hedge or in dense 

 evergreens ; in trees, amongst ivy, &c. 



Materials. Variable ; generally small twigs, roots, dry grass, 

 straw, and moss, lined with fine grass, hair, and feathers. 



Eggs. Four to six. Like Linnet's, but larger. Greenish 

 white, spotted and speckled chiefly at large end with purplish 

 red and reddish brown. 



