THE CIEL BTWTING. 221 



black one, which passes underneath the yellow streak under 

 the eyes, and loses itself in the black of the throat. The back 

 and small wing coverts are cinnamon brown, mixed with 

 black and golden yellow ; the rump feathers are olive green 

 striped with black. The larger wing coverts and pen feathers 

 are blackish grey ; the former, as well as the hindmost pen 

 feathers, being edged with brown, and the foremost pen fea- 

 thers with greenish yellow. The tail is rather forked and 

 black ; except that the two anterior feathers have each a wedge 

 shaped white spot on them, and all are edged with greenish 

 yellow. Beneath the neck is a golden yellow spot ; the breast 

 is a beautiful olive green, inclining, towards the sides and 

 belly, to light brown ; the rest of the lower part of the body is 

 golden yellow. 



The plumage of the female is far lighter ; the head and 

 upper part of the neck are olive green, but more marked with 

 black ; the back is light brown ; the rump more marked with 

 black ; the tail rather greyish blue than black. A yellow 

 stripe passes both above and below the eye; and between these 

 goes a black line, which unites with a black border round the 

 cheeks. The throat is brownish; there is a light yellow 

 spot beneath the neck ; the breast is light olive, spotted with 

 brown at the sides ; the rest of the under part of the body is 

 light yellow. 



Before the first moulting, the young are spotted with light 

 brown and black on the upper part of the body. The under 

 part of the body is light yellow, striped with black, and the 

 older they are, the more decidedly olive green becomes the 

 breast. 



Habitat. These birds are natives of the southern and tem- 

 perate regions of Europe, where they may be seen in gardens, 

 groves, and thickets. They are birds of passage, departing in 

 November, and returning in April. They seem fond of the 

 company of the Common Chaffinch. 



In confinement they require the same treatment as the Or- 

 tolan. 



Food. In a wild state the food consists principally of the 

 caterpillars of the cabbage moth and other insects : of wheat, 

 barley, oats, millet, and hemp seed. 



Breeding. The nest, which is built of grass stalks, lined 

 with hair, is placed in road-side hedges and bushes. The female 



