Birds. 7627 



visits most parts of the country, it seems to prefer those districts which 

 are well drained and not very thickly wooded. Its note is a single 

 loud chirp, repeated at irregular intervals, but sometimes so rapidly 

 as to resemble an attempt at a song. Its small, shallow nest is placed 

 on the ground in a field of young corn, seldom far from trees, and is 

 composed of grass, small stalks of plants and fine roots, lined with 

 fine grass and horsehair. The eggs are pale purplish white, with a 

 few spots and streaks, and sometimes also with small comma-shaped 

 marks of deep purple brown. In autumn great numbers of these birds 

 are caught and fattened for the table. When in their most perfect 

 condition the only part of the body which remains without fat is a 

 narrow line along the middle of the breast. 



Chafiinch [Fringilla conlehs). Permanent. 



Mountain Finch {F. motitifringilla). Winter. A male in full 

 summer plumage was seen by me in a small wood near Ixelles, on the 

 7th of May, 1853. Possibly it had escaped from confinement, for at 

 that time many of the same species were still to be seen caged in the 

 markets and elsewhere. 



Tree Sparrow {F. montana). Permanent. 



House Sparrow {F. domestica). Permanent. 



Greenfinch {F. chloris). Permanent. 



Hawfinch {F. coccothraustes) . Permanent. The young are some- 

 times fledged by the end of May. 



Goldfinch [F. carduelis). Permanent. 



Siskin {F. spinus). Winter. 



Linnet (F. cannabina). Permanent. 



Lesser Redpole (F. /e«ana). Permanent? 



Mealy Redpole {F. borealis). Winter. In spring the breast and 

 rump of the male change from dull pinkish white to pure rose-colour. 



Mountain Linnet {F. Montium). Occasional. Winter. 



Bullfinch [Loxia pyrrhula). Permanent. 



Crossbill (Z. curvirostra). There can be but little doubt that it 

 occasionally breeds in the Forest of Soignies, from whence I have 

 obtained young birds scarcely fledged iu July. 



Starling {Slurnus vulgaris) . Permanent. 



Carrion Crow {Corvus corone). Permanent, 



Rook {C.frugilegus). Permanent. 



Jackdaw (C. monedula). Permanent. 



Magpie (C pica). Permanent. 



Jay (C glandarius). Permanent. 



Nutcracker {Nucifraga caryocatacles). Occasional. 



