149 
CHAFFINCH. 
SHILFA. SCOBBY. SHELLY. SKELLY. 
SHELL-APPLE. BEECH-FINCH. TWINK. SPINK. PINK. 
TWEET. HORSE-FINCH. 
PLATE LXXX. 
Fringilia celebs, . : . Pennant. Montacu. Berwick. 
THE nest is truly a beautiful piece of workmanship, 
compact and neat in the highest degree. It is usually 
so well adapted to the colour of the place where it 
is built, as to elude detection from any chance passer 
by—close scrutiny is required to discover it. It is 
therefore variously made, according to the nature of 
the elements of construction at hand. Some are built 
of grasses, stalks of plants, and small roots, compacted 
with the scales of bark and wool, and lined with hair, 
with perhaps a few feathers, the outside being entirely 
covered with tree moss and lichens, taken from the tree 
itself in which it is placed; the assimilation being thus 
rendered complete. Others are without any wool, its 
place being supplied with thistle-down, and _ spider- 
cots. In fact the bird accommodates itself to circum- 
stances, or rather circumstances to its requirements, using 
such materials as are at hand. The upper edge of the 
nest is generally very neatly woven with slender straws, 
and the width of the open part is often not more than 
VOL. I. x 
