200 



PASSERINE. LINOTA. 



Linnet in summer. It is generally distributed, and perma- 

 nently resident, in winter betakes itself in large flocks to the 

 neighbourhood of towns and farm-steadings, and during severe 

 weather frequents corn-yards, mingling with other species. Its 

 flight is rapid and undulated, its voice soft and mellow, and 

 its song varied and remarkably sweet. In summer it is found 

 dispersed over the hilly and mountainous parts, especially 

 where there are thickets. The nest, which is neatly con- 

 structed of grass, moss, and wool, and lined with hair, is 

 placed in a bush or on the ground. The eggs, from four to 

 six, are oval, nine-twelfths long, six and a half twelfths broad, 

 bluish-white, distantly spotted with purplish-grey and reddish- 

 brown. Two broods are commonly reared. 



Grey Linnet. Brown Linnet. Hose Linnet. Whin Lin- 

 net. Greater Redpoll. Lintie. 



Fringilla cannabina, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 322. Fringilla 

 cannabina, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. i. 364. Linaria cannabina, 

 Brown Linnet, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, i. 371. 



125. LINOTA MONTIUM. MOUNTAIN LINNET, OR TWITE. 



Male in winter with the bill greyish-yellow ; the upper 

 parts light yellowish-brown, streaked with brownish-black ; 

 the feathers of the rump red in the middle ; lower parts light 

 brownish-yellow, of which colour are two bands across the 

 wing ; throat unspotted ; feet black. Female in winter with 

 the bill greyish-yellow, tipped with dusky ; the colours of the 

 plumage as in the male, but lighter, the rump destitute of red. 

 Male in summer with the bill whitish, the rump rose-red, in 

 other respects as in winter, but paler. Female as in winter. 

 Young with the bill pale greyish -brown ; feet light brown ; 

 plumage coloured as in the adult female, but with dark brown 

 markings. This species is easily distinguished from the Brown 

 Linnet by its yellowish-red throat, destitute of streaks, and 

 the yellow colour of the bill. 



Male, 5J, 8if, 2H, / ? , T \, T ,, ft. Female, 5 T ^, 8&. 



The Mountain Linnet or Twite is very abundant in the 

 northern part of Scotland, the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland 

 Islands, where it breeds and remains all the year. It becomes 

 less common as we proceed southward. Its habits resemble 

 those of the last species. Its food consists of seeds, and leaves 

 of plants. In winter it forms large bands, and frequents farm- 

 yards ; but in summer is dispersed over the heaths and pas- 

 tures. The nest is placed on the ground among heath or long 

 grass, and is neatly constructed of dry grass, fragments of 



