THE GOLDFINCH. 3 



whilst a neglected garden will offer a choice selection of 

 the latter. 



Meanwhile the hen has not been idle, but has selected 

 a site for a new nest, and the male bird rejoining her, they 

 go through their domestic programme anew. Goldfinches 

 have often as many as four nests in the year, so that 

 their powers of propagation are very great. 



Although building so elaborate a. nest, some Goldfinches, 

 from choosing slender branches that sway with the wind, 

 often find the contents of their nests are consequently 

 blown away by severe gales. The use of horse-hair is 

 sometimes disastrous, as in one case we remember finding 

 the hen dead, hanging by a noose of hair from her own 

 nest. 



The young birds, called until their first moult " grey- 

 pates/ 7 from having mottled grey heads, backs, and breasts, 

 instead of the adult red, black, white, and brown, have 

 otherwise the appearance of the mature birds, inasmuch as 

 the flight and tail feathers are retained until the second 

 moult. In the months of August and September and 

 beginning of October, the different broods having for a long 

 time congregated in such places as afford the most abundant 

 supply of button- weed, thistles, &c., used in the latter month 

 sometimes to number as many as two hundred birds, though 

 those proportions are seldom attained now. By that time 

 almost all the young birds have attained the adult plumage, 

 and commence their migration, proceeding in small flocks 

 towards the south coast, passing Brighton, and from Beachy 

 Head and adjacent parts of the coast start upon their journey 

 across the English Channel. But the Goldfinch is only par- 

 tially migratory, and whilst so many proceed upon their peril- 

 ous journey in search of warmer climes, a great many stay 



