178 BIEDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



known to breed in any part of England, although 

 one instance of its doing so in Yorkshire is recorded 

 in the * Zoologist,' and two supposed instances in 

 other counties are mentioned by Meyer. 



The favourite food of the Brambling appears to 

 be beech-masts, of which it is excessively fond : it 

 also eats various sorts of grain and seeds, and in 

 some parts is considered to be of great use to 

 the agriculturist, in consequence of the quantity of 

 seeds of the knot-grass which it eats : many of the 

 Finches seem to be very fond of this grass, and it is 

 always a great treat in the aviary. 



The Brambling is easily kept in confinement, and 

 grows very tame. A pair which I have in my aviary 

 are very fond of the seeds of almost all sorts of 

 weeds, especially docks, a good feed of which, like 

 the knot-grass, is a treat to nearly all the birds in 

 the aviary. As a set off, however, to the good the 

 Brambling does in devouring the seeds of weeds, it 

 is undoubtedly a very destructive bird to the young 

 buds of almost every tree and shrub, pulling them to 

 pieces and picking out the germ of both the leaf and 

 flower-buds. 



The nest is said to be as neat as, and something 

 like, that of the Chaffinch : it is formed of moss and 

 lined with wool and feathers. 



The Brambling is a fine handsome bird, and is 

 very interesting to watch throughout the year, in 

 consequence of the great change of plumage exhi- 



