In Farm and Garden. 169 



congregates upon them in flocks that frequent much 

 the same localities as the Linnets and Twites. But 

 it is not exclusively confined to these spots, as we 

 shall see in a later chapter (conf. p. 189). Many odd 

 pairs of Redpoles linger behind on these northern 

 farms to breed, making their exquisite little cup- 

 shaped nest in the hedges towards the end of May. 

 This pretty nest, combined with the short pleasing 

 song of the male bird, and the utter trustfulness of 

 both sexes, summer and winter alike, endear the 

 Redpole to us in a way that few other species do. 

 It is decidedly a bird of the northern shires, becom- 

 ing rarer and more local through the midlands, and 

 only breeding here and there farther south. Both 

 Goldfinch and Greenfinch also require passing notice. 

 The former bird is another that has been almost 

 exterminated by the rascally bird-catcher; still, it is 

 observed in sufficient numbers to render it familiar 

 in many a garden and hedgerow. Perhaps they are 

 most frequently remarked during winter, when, in 

 pairs, they love to haunt the weed-grown wastes and 

 the sides of the fields where thistles and docks are 

 abundant. The Greenfinch is much more common, 

 but here again we remark a change of habitat with 

 the season, the birds quitting the open fields for 

 shrubberies and gardens as the breeding season ap- 

 proaches. Notwithstanding this, however, a good 

 many nests are made in the hedges in the fields, in 



