200 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



71. B RAMBLING. 



Fringilla montifringilla } Linn. 

 Berg-fink (Sweden). 

 Vintan (Lapland). 



Montifeingilla. — Mom (L.) — mountain, fringilla — a Finch. 

 Size. — Length 6J in. ; expanse 10 in. 



Plumage. — Male in summer, bill bluish-black; eyes brown; head, sides 

 of neck, and back, black ; scapulars orange ; lesser wing-coverts orange, the 

 lower row white ; greater wing-coverts black, tipped with orange and white ; 

 primaries black, edged with lemon, a white patch on inner web ; secondaries 

 black, bordered with orange ; rump white ; upper tail- coverts black ; tail black, 

 middle feathers edged with grey, the two outer ones white on the outer web 

 at the base. Throat and breast buff ; belly white, spotted with black at the 

 sides ; under wing-coverts lemon-yellow ; under tail-coverts yellowish- white. 

 Legs and toes brown. 



In Winter the colours are less bright and the back of the head and back 

 is obscured by broad yellowish margins to the feathers, and the bill is bright 

 yellow except the tip. 



The Female has the bill horn-colour, the feathers on the head and back 

 dark brown, with broad pale margins, which almost hide the dark colour. 

 The wings and tail are more dingy in colour than in the male. Under parts 

 similar to male but not so bright. 



The Young are similar to the female, but paler and duller in colour. 



Yarieties. — Some specimens have the throat black, and Mr. Bond has 

 one all white, except a few feathers in the wings. 



Note — The note consists of one syllable, resembling " cree, cree." 



Flight-— The flight resembles that of the Chaffinch, but this species may 

 always be distinguished by the white rump. 



Migration- — This bird is a winter visitor to this country, arriving about 

 the middle of October, and departing again early in March. 



Food- — This consists of seeds of various kinds, both stubble seeds and 

 those of larger kinds, including those of the beech, of which this bird is said 

 to be particularly fond. 



In Confinement the ordinary bird seeds in common use may be given. 

 The Brambling has been known to breed in confinement. 



Habitat-— This bird is found in winter, principally in the eastern counties, 

 where it frequents farm-steads. Some seasons the numbers are only small, 



