BIRDS' NESTS. 131 



with lichens, and lined on the inside with 

 thistledown, the cotton of the willow, and the 

 softest of feathers. It is usually placed among 

 the twigs of an apple-tree, pear-tree, or ever- 

 green, and contains five eggs of a bluish-white 

 tint, speckled with pale purple and brown. 



LINNET. Linaria cannabina. 

 PLATE VII. FIG. 1. 



WEARING a more sober livery than the gold- 

 finch, the Linnet also makes less display of 

 architectural neatness ; and instead of choosing 

 a place of resort where it is likely to be ex- 

 posed to the common gaze, it retires in the 

 breeding season to some thicket or furze-brake, 

 where, especially in the latter situation, it con- 

 structs a nest of small twigs, moss, roots, and 

 wool, lined with hair, feathers, and sometimes 

 thistle or willow-down. The eggs are four or 

 five, and closely resemble those of the gold- 

 finch, both in size and colouring. 



K2 



