THE BULLFINCH. 11 



wayside. At other times its food consists of the seeds 

 and leaves of the groundsel and sow-thistle, and the re- 

 maining hips and haws that have escaped the winter, or 

 any other seeds it may find in its foraging expeditions. 

 The Bullfinch commences preparations for breeding in 

 the beginning of April. It builds a somewhat loose 

 nest compared with some birds of this class, the structure 

 being composed mostly of twigs and fine roots, with an 

 inner lining of horsehair. This is placed securely in the 

 lower branches of a tree, or the top of a high bush. A 

 very favourite haunt of the Bullfinch is in the quickset 

 hedge which is planted alongside many of our railways, 

 this being generally secluded, and so permitting the birds 

 to live and breed in comparative security. In common 

 with most small birds, Bullfinches have many enemies; 

 and, as if in fear, they wait until the foliage is well 

 spread over the branches before building their nest; but 

 even this precaution is often of no avail, for the clipping 

 of the hedge will often expose the nest. Yet man is 

 certainly not the Bullfinch's worst enemy, for not only 

 jays, but stoats and weasels, are on the watch to destroy 

 them. Unfortunately for the Bullfinch (with other vic- 

 tims), these marauders are far more successful than would 

 be imagined, as a great many nests in a district are rifled 

 of their contents by them in a very short time. How- 

 ever, after the first outburst of sorrow at their loss, the 

 birds almost directly recommence their labours, and in 

 a short time another nest is built, and duly furnished 

 with another set of eggs. They generally have as many 

 as three nests in the year, and, if any of those nests are 

 destroyed, will even exceed that number. There are 

 generally five eggs, of a pale blue colour, speckled and 



