149 



CHAFFINCH. 



SHILFA. SCOBBY. SHELLY. SKELLY. 



SHELL-APPLE. BEECH-FINCH. TWINK. SPINK. PINK. 



TWEET. HORSE-FINCH. 



PLATE LXXX. 



Fringilla ccdebs, . . . Pennant. Montagu. Bewick, 



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 



