Ill



cease to adt and they would remain as ornaments such, as we find

them at the present day. We may also infer that the Brambling

is the newer form since there is a tendency, though it be but a

slight one, for the rump to become spotted with black, whereas

the rump of the Chaffinch never shows any tendency to revert

to a white form ; nor do we find a single other case of a white

rump in any other species of the genus.


Although rather apart from the present article, it may be

noticed that in no part of the world, except Kurope and the

Canary Isles, do two species of this genus come in contadt.


In the Canary Islands there are two species, F. ca?iariensis

and F. teydea ,* of which the latter loses the cross-bars by

suffusing them with blue, whereas in all the other species they

are white as in the Chaffinch.


ffike all finches the Brambling is a late breeder, the nest

being seldom begun before the middle of June. The nest is

placed, as a rule, about ten feet from the ground (where the trees

are sufficiently high to allow it) at the junction of a branch with

a main trunk ; although it may occasionally be placed low

down on a juniper bush.


It is composed of bents and grass with occasionally some

lichen and a little moss closely interwoven, and although bulkier

than that of the Chaffinch is remarkably well finished off. It is

lined with hair, feathers, and perhaps some willow down. The

eggs greatly resemble those of the Chaffinch, but as a rule the

spots are more confined to the larger end and not so much

blurred.


It is said to have bred in Scotland on one occasion, but

the occurrence is rather doubtful. The call note, which is

frequently uttered, consists of a harsh chirp, and although the

male is said to have a song of a few flute-like notes, I have never

had the pleasure of hearing it either wild or in captivity. When

near a wood in which they are breeding, one hears incessantly

the long-drawn ‘ tweeee,’ f occasionally varied by the ‘ weeeech ’

so frequently heard during the winter. The former is in my

opinion the summer call, and the latter the note of alarm or

anger. The birds, until the young are out of the nest, are seldom

seen. It is said to have bred in captivity on several occasions.

As a cage bird it has little but its beauty to recommend it; it


♦See interesting article by E- G. B. Meade-Waudo in tlie A.M., vol. I. p. 103.


tThese two notes are taken from Mr. Aplin’s description in the Zoologist,

December, 1896, p. 450, and exactly represent the calls.—J.E.B.



