86 FR1NGILLID.E. 



frequently seen her sit quite undisturbed upon her nest, a 

 little above the heads of persons passing beneath. Various 

 situations are chosen, in hedges, and especially among fruit 

 trees ; on which latter the nest is often placed upon a naked 

 branch ; but being very small and closely fitted to it, and, 

 besides, covered with the lichens with which such trees are 

 themselves often studded, it passes unseen, except by practised 

 eyes. 



The nest itself is renowned for its exceeding neatness and 

 beauty, and the compactness of its form. It is variously con- 

 structed, according to the materials at hand : some are built 

 of slender grass, stalks, or roots, matted with wool, and lined 

 with hair ; the outside is covered entirely with tree-moss and 

 lichens. In others no wool is present, its place being supplied 

 by fine roots and spider-cots, or the down of thistles : the brim 

 is generally very neatly woven with slender straws, and the 

 cup is often not more than an inch and a half in diameter. 



The eggs, four or five in number, are of a short oval form, 

 clouded over with red upon a bluish ground, the colours often 

 blended together into one tint : liver-coloured round spots 

 and dark hair-like lines are scattered irregularly over the 

 surface, the whole forming an appearance distinct from that of 

 any other egg. We have occasionally found one egg among 

 others in the nest, entirely without spots ; and possess, besides, 

 an entire set, which are uniform dull blue without spot or 

 line. 



The entire length of the Chaffinch is about five inches and 

 three quarters, and the wing measures from the carpus to 

 the tip three inches and a quarter : the first quill-feather is 

 about a quarter of an inch shorter than the second, third, and 

 fourth, which are equal and the longest in the wing. The 

 beak measures five lines from the forehead ; the tarsi about 

 seven lines. 



The colours of the male, which is a handsome bird, are as 



