138 BRITISH BIRDS 



and October, and are found in winter throughout Great Britain and 

 Ireland. They are, however, very irregular in their movements, 

 and do not, like the redwings, return year after year to the same 

 localities ; but, as a rule, where a flock appears in autumn, there it 

 will remain until the end of winter. Beech-woods form a great 

 attraction to them, beech-mast being their favourite food, and 

 where it is abundant they will sometimes congregate in immense 

 numbers. As a songster the brambling ranks low among the 

 finches, but the lively chirping and twittering concert of a large 

 flock on a tree-top, and in the evening, before the birds settle to 

 roost, has a very pleasing effect. 



Linnet. 

 Linota cannabina. 



Forehead and centre of the crown crimson ; the rest of the head, 

 nape, and sides of the neck, mottled brownish grey ; mantle chestnut- 

 brown ; whig-feathers blackish, with outer edges white, forming a 

 conspicuous bar ; upper tail-coverts dark brown with whitish mar- 

 gins ; tail-feathers black, narrowly edged with white on the outer 

 and broadly on the inner webs ; chin and throat dull white, striped 

 with greyish brown ; breast crimson ; belly dull white ; flanks fawn- 

 brown. Length, five inches and three-quarters. In winter the 

 crimson feathers are concealed by wide greyish margins. Female : 

 duller in colour and without any crimson. 



Next to the goldfinch, the linnet is the most sought after in this 

 country as a cage-bird, and the demand for linnets is no doubt 

 causing a great diminution in their numbers. But they are still 

 fairly abundant, and to be met with in most waste and uncultivated 

 places, especially where furze-bushes abound. 



The linnet is one of the most social of the finches, being found 

 gathered in small flocks and parties of three, or four, or half a dozen, 

 even in the middle of the breeding season. When perched or flying 

 they incessantly call to each other in sharp little chirps and twit- 

 tering notes. They are more aerial in habit than most finches, 

 and take to flight very readily, and fly high, with great velocity ; 

 and when at a great elevation they are often seen to check their 

 rapid course very suddenly, and dart away hi some other direction, 

 or else to drop plumb down like falling hailstones to the earth. 

 Being so free of the air, they are great rovers, and, except when 



