258 THE LINNET. 



" these birds are usually seen in flocks, feeding generally upon 

 small seeds, particularly those of the cruciform plants, with other 

 seeds of the flax, thistle, and dandelion." Sir WILLIAM JAEDINB 

 observes, that " every one who has lived much in the country 

 must have remarked the Common Linnets congregating towards 

 the close of a fine winter's evening, perched on the summit of 

 some bare tree, pluming themselves in the last rays of the sun, 

 chirruping the commencement of their evening song, and then 

 bursting simultaneously into one general chorus, again resuming 

 their single strains, and again joining, as if happy and rejoicing at 

 the termination of their day's employment." 



GILBEKT WHITE also alludes to this habit of congregating and 

 singing or twittering in chorus : " We have in the winter vast 

 flocks of the Common Linnets, more, I think, than can be bred in 

 any one district. These I observe, when the spring advances, 

 assemble on some tree in the sunshine, and join all in a gentle 

 sort of chirping, as if they were about to break up their winter 

 quarters, and betake themselves to their proper summer home :" 

 which home, BOLTON says, are dry, barren, and heathy grounds, 

 where there is plenty of heath, furze, and other low bushes. 

 This author describes the nest as " formed on the outside of dry 

 stubble, mixed with hay. The middle coat is formed of finer hay, 

 mixed with hair, very firmly and neatly platted together. The 

 inner coat, or lining, consists of hair, wool, and the down of the 

 seeds of willows, over which is a layer of fine fibres of roots. 

 The whole is a neat piece of work, round, well-finished, and very 

 handsome." He thus estimates the musical powers of this song- 

 ster : " The Linnet gives place to few birds in point of song. 

 His tone is mellow, and his notes sprightly, artfully varying into 

 the plaintive strain, and returning again to the sprightly, with 

 the greatest address and most masterly execution." He also 

 says that its disposition is gentle and docile, and quotes the fol- 

 lowing anecdote, originally related by the late Dr. LETTSOM, to 

 show that it is capable of strong attachment for its own species : 

 " Two Linnets, both male birds, which had not been brought up 

 together, formed a remarkable attachment to each other. When 

 one sang, the other joined, and at night each always slept on that 

 side of his cage which was nearest to his friend. Their attach- 

 ment was more fully ascertained, when they were set at liberty- 

 while their cages were being cleaned. They then flew to each 

 other's cage, and at length were occasionally indulged by being 

 puftogether in the same cage, when they always expressed their 

 high gratification by fluttering towards each other, joining their 

 bills together, and each gently picking the tongue of his friend 

 by turns. After some time, one was suffered to fly abroad in 



