BRAMBLING. 838 
BRAMBLING. 
FRINGILLA MONTIFRINGILLA, Linn. 
PL. XIL, fig. 21. 
_ Geogr. distr.—Throughout the Palearctic region; a winter visitant 
in Great Britain ; it has been known to breed in Scotland, and is well 
known to remain with us as late as April. 
Food.—Seeds, grain, beech-mast, berries and insects. 
Nest.—Much larger and deeper than that of the Chaffinch; formed 
of green mosses and fine bents compacted with cobweb, ornamented 
with pieces of white lichen and shreds of the fine white paper-like 
outer bark of the birch ; lined internally with fine wool and feathers. 
Position of nest.—From ten to thirty feet from the ground, in 
forests of birch trees. 
Number of eggs.—5-8. 
Time of nidification.—_V-VII; June. 
At least one instance of this bird having bred in confine- 
ment has been recorded. Its song begins with a low 
warbling, succeeded by a harsher and more protracted note. 
Montagu says, ‘‘ We have not been able to discover that 
this bird has ever bred with us, but they are frequently 
seen in the winter, in large flocks, upon the coast of Kent 
and Sussex when the weather is severe, and have been so 
exhausted as to suffer themselves to be takenup. They are 
also found in the interior parts of the kingdom at that season, 
flying in company with Chaffinches and Yellowhammers.” 
In his ‘Catalogue of Birds of the Dyke Road Museum 
at Brighton,’ p. 126, Mr. E. T. Booth says, ‘In the 
summer of 1866, while fishing on the River Lyon, in 
Perthshire, I had occasion to climb a beech tree to release 
the line which had become entangled in the branches, and 
while so engaged a female Brambling was disturbed from 
her nest, containing three eggs, which was placed close to 
the stem of the tree. As I was anxious to procure the 
young I left her, and, on again visiting the spot in about a 
fortnight the nest was empty, and, judging by its appear- 
ance, I should be of opinion that the young birds had 
been dragged out by a cat. This is the only instance I 
have ever known of the Brambling attempting to rear its 
young in Great Britain.’’* 
Mr. Harting informs me that this bird once nested in 
Yorkshire, at Baldersly Park, near Thirsk. The nest, with 
five or six eggs, was taken by the Hon. Guy Dawnay, and 
forwarded to the Rev. J. C. Atkinson, who recorded the fact 
in the Field for the 28rd July, 1864, p. 52. 
*I have to thank Mr. Harting for calling my attention to the above 
valuable note. 
