Mountain Fincu. PASSERES. FRINGILLA. 273 
The Meuntain Finch is a native of the northern parts of Periodical 
Europe, and inhabits the wild and mountainous districts; as 
where, after breeding, it passes the summer also in the fo- 
rests of pine and fir which abound in these higher latitudes. 
In the temperate and warmer regions of this quarter of the 
globe, it is only known as a winter visitant ; arriving to- 
wards the close ef autumn, and departing to the nerthward, 
early in spring. Although few winters pass without our be- 
ing visited by some of these birds, I have remarked that they 
vary considerably in numbers through a succession of sea- 
sons, a circumstance, in all probability, occasioned by the 
state of the weather, as regulating the direction and extent 
of their equatorial migration. 
The mountain finch is a bird of handsome appearance, 
and rather superior in size to the chaffinch, which in habits 
and manners it closely resembles. During its residence with 
us, it frequents the stubble lands, with other granivorous Food. 
birds; and I have observed that it always roosts in fir or 
larch plantations, if any such are in the neighbourhood of its 
haunt. The usual call-note of this species is not unlike that 
ef the chaffinch, but I am unable to say whether its notes 
vary in the spring, or whether 1t possesses any proper song. It Nest, &c. 
builds in lofty pine and spruce trees, and its nest is formed of 
moss and wool, lined with feathers and hair. It lays four or 
five white eggs, spotted with yellowish-brown. 
Piate 54, Fig. 8. Male bird in its winter’s plumage, and of 
the natural size. 
Head, cheeks, nape of the neck, and ‘upper part of the General 
back black; having the feathers margined and tipped (" ans 
with yellowish-grey, or yellowish-brown. ‘Throat, breast, Male, 
scapulars, and lesser wing-coverts pale reddish-brown. 
Coverts of the secondary quills black, tipped with pale 
reddish-orange. Greater quills black, with a white spot 
at the base, and the margins of the outer webs primrose 
yellow. Rump, belly, and under tail coverts yellowish- 
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