Nest, &c. 
Food. 
General 
descrip- 
tion. 
264 PASSERES. FRINGILLA. Gnreenrincs. 
in flocks, which continue increasing through the autumn, 
and become very numerous about the commencement of 
severe weather. They frequently congregate with chaffinches 
and yellow-buntings, and feed with them in the stubble lands, 
as long as the ground remains uncovered ; but, upon the first 
fall of snow, like other granivorous birds, they resort to the 
farm-yards, where they find a tolerable subsistence amongst 
the corn-stalks, and on the refuse from the barn. They ge- 
nerally roost in holly-bushes, or m the warm and sheltered 
retreat of fir-trees ; and, previous to retiring to rest, quitting 
the compay of their extraneous associates, they make many 
circular flights in a compact body round their sleeping sta- 
tion, before they settle for the night. The natural notes of 
this species are few, and it produces nothing worthy of the 
name of song; it is, however, capable of ‘imitating the notes 
of other birds, when in a state of confinement, to which it 
becomes very speedily accommodated. It is a late breeder, 
the nest seldom being finished before the latter part of May, 
or the beginning of June.—This is composed of moss and 
wool interwoven, with a lining of hair and feathers, and 
usually placed in a thick hedge, or bush, but occasionally in 
the ivy encircling some tree. ‘The eggs are four or five in 
number, of a bluish-white, speckled at the larger end with 
light orange-brown. 
It feeds upon all seeds (particularly the oleaginous kinds) 
and grain, and is found throughout the greatest part of 
Europe. 
By most systematists this species has been placed in the 
genus Loawia, although the form of its bill is similar (with 
the exception of being rather thicker) to that of the sparrow, 
which they have placed at the head of their genus Fringilla. 
Priate 54. Fig. 3. Natural size. 
Upper parts of the body bright oil-green, passing into sul- 
phur-yellow, the feathers margined with ash-grey. 
Greater wing-coverts and secondaries smoke-grey; the 
