THE SISKIN HEDGE-SPARROW CAT-BIRD. 



195 



THE SISKIN. 



"The Siskin is a common bird in all the high parts of Aberdeen shire, 



which abound in fir-woods. They 

 build generally near the extremi- 

 ties of ths branches of tall fir-trees, 

 or near the summit of the tree. 

 Sometimes the nest is found in 

 plantations of young fir-wood. In 

 one instance, I met with a nest not 

 three feet from the ground. I 

 visited it every day until four or 

 five eggs were deposited. During 

 incubation the female showed no 

 fear at my approach. On bringing 

 my hand close to the nest, she 

 showed some inclination to pug- 



THE SISKIN. . . . r O 



nacity, and tried, to irighten me 



away with her open bill, following my hand round and round when 

 I attempted to touch her. At last she would only look anxiously 

 round to my finger without making any attack on me. The nest was 

 formed of small twigs of birch or heath outside, and neatly lined 

 with hair." Its eggs are a bluish-white spotted with purplish-red. 



THE HEDGE-ACCENTOR, OR HEDGE-SPARROW. . 



The Hedge- Accentor, or Hedge-Sparrow, is one of our commonest 



English birds, closely resembling 

 the common Sparrow, in appear- 

 ance. The nest is built in holeSj 

 and contains five blue eggs like 

 those of the Redstart, but stouter 

 in shape, and of a deeper blue. 



It is often very bold when en- 

 gaged in sitting, and will permit 

 a near approach without leaving- 

 the nest. I have repeatedly 

 visited the nest of one of these- 

 birds while the female was sitting, 

 and have parted the boughs of 

 the shrub where the nest was 

 placed, in order to get a good view, while the hen bird still sat 

 quietly in the nest anxiously watching everv movement but net 

 attempting to stir. 



HEDGE ACCENTOR. 



THE CAT-BIRD. 



This quaint and familiar songster passes the winter in the southern 

 extremities of the United States. About the middle of April they are 

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