254 THE LTN T NET. 



sellers, however, give the name of Yellow linnets to those 

 birds, also, in which the red on the breast and forehead is re- 

 placed by a bright orange ; but this is merely an effect of old 

 age, or sickness during moulting ; and such birds are often the 

 finest singers. I have myself caught several, and have always 

 endeavoured to preserve them. Their song was clear and 

 beautiful; but they were all remarkably shy and wild, and 

 soon died of grief, from which I concluded that they were very 

 old. Besides those which I have enumerated, less marked 

 distinctions of colour may be observed among Linnets, indica- 

 tive of their various ages, and the different seasons of the year. 

 As a general rule, the older the bird, the redder is it upon the 

 head. 



Those which are deprived of their liberty when very young, 

 never acquire this beautiful red colour on the head and breast, 

 but always resemble the one-year old, or Grey Linnet. Birds, 

 also, which have been caught when old, lose their beauty after 

 the first moulting, and acquire the grey plumage. No variation 

 of colour is observable in the female, which is somewhat 

 smaller than the male. The whole upper part of the body is 

 green, spotted with blackish brown and yellowish white ; the 

 rump and breast, especially the latter, are spotted with greyish 

 brown and reddish white ; even in the nest she may be dis- 

 tinguished by the colour of her back, which is rather grey 

 than brown, and by the numerous spots on the breast, which 

 bears a close resemblance to that of the Lark. 



Habitat. The Linnet is a well-known bird all over Europe. 

 During the summer it frequents woods, groves, &c., and in 

 autumn betakes itself to the open fields. It is a migratory 

 bird, passing in winter from one place to another in search of 

 food. In March, by which time it has usually paired, it may 

 be noticed in its usual haunts. 



It may be confined either in a bell-shaped, or a small four- 

 cornered or Chaifinch cage, in the latter of which it usually 

 sings better. It is not advisable to allow it to hop about the 

 room, as it is a very quiet bird, sitting still in any place, and 

 therefore liable to be trodden upon. If, however, the aviary 

 be furnished with small trees or branches, it will hop from one 

 to the other of these, and never descend except to eat and 

 drink. 



Food. In a wild state, the Linnet feeds on all kinds of seeds, 



