FRINGILLID2E . 199 



the throat like the rest of the under parts : the 

 rest of the colouring is duller than that of the male. 



The eggs, like the hird, are rather smaller than 

 those of the Goldfinch, but something like them in 

 colour, the ground heing a pale light green, inclining 

 to white, spotted mostly at the larger end with purple 

 and dark brown. 



LINNET, Linota cannabina. This bird, so beauti- 

 ful in spring in consequence of the bright vermilion 

 colour it assumes at that time on its breast, and at 

 other times coming very much under the general 

 description of a little dull brown bird, is resident 

 throughout the year with us, flocking, like many of 

 its congeners, during the winter and separating in 

 pairs in the spring and summer. Common as it is 

 with us, I have never anywhere seen it so numerous 

 as it is in the Channel Islands, in all of which 

 it is the common bird, outnumbering House 

 Sparrows and Chaffinches both put together. 



The food of the Common or " Brown Linnet," as 

 it is sometimes called, consists principally of 

 insects, grain and seeds. M. Prevost gives the 

 following list of the food of this bird: January, 

 seeds and berries ; February, the same ; March, the 

 same ; April, the same ; May, the same and insects ; 

 June, the same ; July, the same ; August, the same ; 

 September, the same ; October, berries, seeds, buds 

 and fruit ; November, the same ; December, the 

 same." To this list may be added the seeds of 



