THE GOLDFINCH. 333 



between the nest of the chaffinch and that of the Goldfinch 

 {Fringilla carduelis). 



In point of beauty, neither yields to the other, for the mate- 

 rials are much the same, and the mode of structure is nearly 

 identical. The nest of the Goldfinch, however, is shallower 

 than that of the chaffinch, and the lichens and moss of which 

 it is partly made are not stuck on the outside, but are 

 woven so deeply into the walls that the whole surface is quite 

 smooth. 



The position of the two nests, however, is very different. 

 Instead of choosing the forks of a bough, the Goldfinch likes to 

 make its nest near the end of a horizontal branch, so that it 

 waves about and dances up and down as the branch is swayed 

 by the wind. It might be thought that the eggs would be 

 shaken out by a tolerably sharp breeze, and such would indeed 

 be the case, were they not kept in their place by the form of the 

 nest. If one of the best examples be examined, it will be seen 

 to have the edge thickened and slightly turned inwards, so that, 

 Avhen the nest is tilted on one side by the swaying of the bough, 

 the eggs are still retained within. I have seen the branches of 

 a tree violently agitated by ropes and sticks, and noticed that 

 the eggs in a Goldfinch-nest retained their position until the 

 branch was struck upwards close to the spot on which the nest 

 was made, all the previous agitation having failed to dislodge 

 them. 



The lining of the Goldfinch's nest is unlike that which is used 

 by the chaffinch. The latter bird mostly employs hair, while 

 the former makes great use of vegetable-down, such as can be 

 obtained from the willow, the coltsfoot, and other plants. Like 

 other birds, the Goldfinch will not take needless trouble, and 

 if it can find a stray tuft of cotton-wool, will carry it off, and 

 work it into the nest. Sheep-wool is also used for the same 

 purpose ; but the bird likes nothing so well as down, and will 

 use it in preference to any other material. On this soft bed 

 repose the five pretty e^gs, white tinged with blue, and diversi- 

 Aed with small greyish-purple spots. Now and then a small 



