THE GREENFINCH. 143 



quay in their vicinity. They remain there, I was informed, all 

 the year round ; and with such training it is not to be wondered 

 at that shore-bred birds should make choice of the nearest 'look-out' 

 for a breeding place. 



Mr Sinclair has informed me that in June, 1869, he found and 

 examined no fewer than seven sparrow's nests, containing eggs or 

 young, in a pear tree in a garden at Dunbar. The nests were all 

 dome shaped, with a hole at the side. 



THE GREENFINCH. 



COCCOTHRA USTES CHLORIS. 

 Glaiseun-darach. 



PERMANENTLY resident, extending from north to south. In the 

 Outer Hebrides it is found in North Uist and Harris, and probably 

 the whole of the Long Island. It is also a winter visitant to the 

 Orkneys, but does not appear to be so in the Shetlands. A 

 very large flock was driven to the latter islands on 28th 

 October, 1864, in a gale from the north-east, as recorded by Dr 

 Saxby. I have seen flocks of this bird in the heat of summer 

 frequenting the sea-coast in Ayrshire, and the pebbly beds of some 

 rivers, where they had assembled at mid-day to wash themselves 

 in the little pools. 



A very interesting anecdote was lately communicated to me by 

 Mr Sinclair. He was seated in a garden at Dunbar one after- 

 noon in July, in company with a friend under the shade of some 

 elm trees, when their attention was attracted to a female Green- 

 finch perched upon a twig about six feet from where they sat. It 

 was stretching out its neck and plucking off leaves, passing the 

 stem of each through its bill and dropping it until it found a suit- 

 able one, with which it flew to a higher part of the tree. This 

 act being repeated several times, their curiosity became excited, 

 and they watched the bird. A few more leaves were dropped, 

 and again the Greenfinch flew up, when on closer examination 

 they found to their great surprise that it was sticking the leaf 

 into the edge of its nest, which was built on a leafless branch, 

 exposed to the sun, and thus forming a screen for the young 

 fledglings which had been incommoded by the excessive heat. 



