COMMON LINNET. 553 
observes, that in winter these flocks descend to the sea 
coast, where they continue to reside till returning spring 
again urges them to pair. 
The Linnet, generally distributed over England, is also 
common in Ireland, as I learn from Mr. Thompson ; and 
Sir William Jardine sends me word that it is common 
during summer in the whin covers, and occurs in large 
flocks during winter on the stubbles and fallows: it is 
found also in the south and east of Scotland. Mr. Selby 
observed it in summer in Sutherlandshire; and the Rev. 
Mr. Low says it is abundant in Orkney and Shetland. 
The Linnet is an inhabitant of Denmark, Norway, 
Sweden, and the southern provinces of Russia, where it 
remains all the year. It is found from thence over the 
whole of the European Continent to the southward ; 
it is very common in France, Provence, Spain, and 
Italy ; it is found in Corfu, Sicily, Malta, Crete, the 
Levant and at Smyrna; the Zoological Society have 
received specimens sent by Keith Abbot, Esq., from Erze- 
rum, about a hundred miles south-east of Trebizon, on the 
shores of the Black Sea; and M. Temminck includes it in 
his Catalogue of the Birds of Japan. 
The male of the Common Linnet in summer has the 
beak of a bluish lead colour ; the irides hazel; the feathers 
of the fore part and top of the head greyish brown at the 
base, but vermilion red at the tip; round the eye, the ear- 
coverts, and back of the neck, greyish brown; the whole 
of the back, wings, and upper tail-coverts, uniform rich 
chestnut brown; quill-feathers nearly black, with very 
narrow outer margins of white; tail-feathers black, with 
narrow outer edges, and broader inner edges of white ; tail 
rather forked; chin and throat a mixture of brown and 
grey ; breast vermilion red, with a few pale brown feathers 
