288 NATURAL HISTORY. 



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

 Aberdeenshire, which abound in fir-woods. They build 

 generally near the extremities of the 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 pugnacity, 

 tried to frighten 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. 



FRINGILLA. 



Chloris (Gr. X/lwpof, green), the Greenfinch 



The GREENFINCH or GREEN LINNET is larger that the Com- 

 mon Linnet. It frequents gardens, shrubberies and cultivated 

 lands, and feeds on insects or seeds. The notes of this bird are 

 not peculiarly melodious, nor has it many qualifications to 

 entitle it to notice. 



