GOLDFINCH. 215 



ing fewer and rather brighter spots which are dark in the centre, and 

 shade off into a thinly spread purple colour. Bolton describes the 

 Goldfinch's nest as bound with blades of dried grass and a few small 

 roots ; a circumstance which has not fallen under my observation, 

 though this may be sometimes resorted to ; for it may be seen in the 

 nests of some chaffinches and not in others. Bolton found his nest in 

 the bough of a plane tree, (Acer Pseudo platanm,) but I have usually 

 met with them in orchards, in elms, and more rarely in hawthorn 

 hedges. The lining- of thistle down ascribed to the nest of the Gold- 

 finch, in most books of natural history, must be a mistake, at least with 

 respect to the nests built in May and early in June ; for none of our 

 native thistles flower before the end of June, and none have down, I 

 believe, before July. The bottom of the nest now before me is bedded 

 with small tufts of fine wool not much spread, and the sides with the 

 down of colts-foot, (Tusilago farfara,) and only one or two leaves or 

 feathers ; whereas the chaffinch uses little down, and seems partial to a 

 lining either of cow's hair alone, or intermixed with a few soft feathers 

 neatly woven into the cup of the nest. I have frequently seen the 

 Goldfinches use nothing besides cotton-wool for a lining. 



The truth is, that birds will in general take the materials for build- 

 ing, which they can most easily procure. " On the 10th of May, 

 1792," says Bolton, "I observed a pair of Goldfinches beginning to 

 make their nest in my garden ; they had formed the ground work with 

 moss, grass, &c, as usual, but on my scattering small parcels of wool 

 in different parts of the garden, they, in a great measure, left off the 

 use of their own stuff, and employed the wool. Afterwards, I gave 

 them cotton, on which they rejected the wool and proceeded with the 

 cotton ; the third day I supplied them with fine down, on which they 

 forsook both the other and finished their work with this last article. 

 The nest, when completed, was somewhat larger than is usually made 

 by this bird, but retained the pretty roundness of figure and neatness 

 of workmanship, which is proper to the Goldfinch. The nest was 

 completed in the space of three days, and remained unoccupied for 

 the space of four days ; the first egg not being laid till the seventh 

 day from beginning the work." 1 



Grahame is correct in saying it uses the down of willows and can- 

 nach, (Eriophoroum polystachion.) His sketch is worth quoting : 



" The goldfinch weaves with willow down inlaid, 

 And cannach tufts, his wonderful abode ; 



Harmonia Ruralis, i. Pref. 6. 



