SISKIN. 95 



them, they betook themselves to a neighbouring wood, and 

 dispersed themselves up and down in small parties, and did 

 not re-assemble for some time. Upon this occasion, I re- 

 marked that some of them resorted to the ground, among the 

 withered leaves, in company with some tits that happened 

 to be passing at the time ; but whether they were in search 

 of insects or not, I could not ascertain. The call-note of 

 the Siskins was repeated at intervals while flying. The 

 seeds of the alder seem to be the favourite food of the Siskin, 

 in winter and spring ; and this circumstance will account, 

 I think, for its irregular appearances and disappearances in 

 various localities. The abundance or scarcity of this food 

 at different places and in different seasons, must greatly in- 

 fluence its motions and partial migrations." 



The researches of naturalists of late years have been re- 

 warded by the observation of the Siskin in various parts 

 of Scotland, during the summer months : and in some locali- 

 ties it was supposed to breed : namely, in Argyleshire, on 

 the shore of Lochfine, in Aberdeenshire, &c. In the neigh- 

 bourhood of Dundee they have also been found in a nestling 

 state ; but no instance, that we are aware, has been recorded 

 of their nests being taken in England, except those mention- 

 ed in Mr. YarrelFs British Birds, page 497, from information 

 which we had the pleasure to give him. The nests there 

 mentioned were obtained in Coombe Wood, in Surrey, in 

 the summer of 1836, from which several nestlings were rear- 

 ed. We ourselves possessed one of them, a fine young male, 

 and had him a considerable time. At the age of a year he 

 still had no sign of the black throat that distinguishes this 

 sex in maturity, the feathers of that part being nearly white : 

 in other respects his plumage was complete. He was kept 

 in a large cage with several little companions, with whom 

 he was on very good terms, and especially with his own mate. 

 In the spring of 1888, being very desirous of inducing this 



