TREE FINCH. 433 



to the male : young bird without the black marks 

 on the throat, or behind the eyes. 



The sexes of this bird have generally been con- 

 sidered by authors to differ from each other as 

 much as the House Finch -, but Colonel Montagu 

 has most satisfactorily proved, that they are quite 

 similar in external appearance, and that the de- 

 scriptions formerly given were not correct. It is 

 very abundant in some parts of this country, 

 in Lincolnshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire : it is 

 found in Italy, France, Germany, Russia, and 

 part of Siberia, also in many parts of North 

 America. It makes its nest in trees, and not in 

 buildings, principally composed of hay and fea- 

 thers : it lays live eggs of a pale brown colour, with 

 spots of a darker shade, weighing from 34 to 41 

 grains. Buffon observes, that this species feeds 

 on fruits, seeds, and insects : it is a very lively 

 animal, and often moves its tail in the manner of 

 the Wagtail: it is one of the most local of the 

 British birds. 



