114 FRINGILL1D/E. 



consists of seeds, especially rape, of which they are very 

 fond ; they also feed, together with the linnets, on various 

 small seeds of weeds and low plants ; when caged, moss- 

 seed is much liked by them. 



The situation chosen by the Mountain Linnet for its 

 nest differs from that of others of its family, it being 

 almost invariably placed upon the ground : it is usually 

 found among heath or long grass, rarely, if ever, in bushes. 

 The nest is constructed externally of dry grass, moss, and 

 fibrous roots, and neatly lined with hair, wool, or feathers. 

 The eggs are pale blue, or bluish-white, with a few dots 

 and lines of lavender and black : such is the description 

 given by various ornithologists, agreeing perfectly with 

 a specimen obligingly supplied to us by Mr. Yarrell. 



The entire length of this species, when alive, is four 

 inches and three quarters : the wing measures two inches 

 eleven lines, and the tail extends one inch and a quarter 

 beyond the wings, when closed. : the second quill-feather 

 of the wing is the longest. The tail is much forked, the 

 middle feathers being five lines shorter than the external 

 ones : the tarsi are seven lines in length, and the expanse 

 of the foot nearly an inch and a quarter. 



In the adult male of this species, the head, nape, back, 

 and scapulars are black, bordered with pale rufous-brown. 

 The greater coverts of the wings, the bastard wing, the 

 secondaries and tertials, the upper coverts and two mid- 

 dle feathers of the tail, are black, edged with pale rufous- 

 brown : on the tips of the greater coverts, and part of the 

 outer web of the secondaries and tertials, the brown border 

 is broad enough to form a bar. The quill and tail-feathers 

 are black, with white edges, broadest towards the base. The 

 lower part of the back is garnet red, shading into the brown 

 colour of the upper tail-coverts. The chin and sides of 

 the face, and upper part of the breast and flanks, are pale 



