CHAPTER XIII. 



The Brown Linnet. 



Fringilla eannabina et linoto, Lin. ; Linotte, Buf. ; Der 

 Hdujling, Bech. ; Fringilla linota, Lat. 



Description and Character. — The Brown Linnet, or, as it is 

 more commonly termed. The Linnet, is a bird very widely 

 known, and greatly esteemed for its song. It is not by any 

 means a handsome bird, as its colours, when kept in confine- 

 ment, are a sombre brown intermixed with grey ; the plumage 

 varies, however, in brightness and brilliancy, according to age 

 of bird, season of the year, and other circumstances. Birds 

 which have their liberty, and moult in the open air, are 

 brighter and richer in hue than those which are constantly 

 kept in cages. 



The length of an ordinary male specimen is 5-|in., the tail 

 being 2in. ; and it weighs lOdr. The head is slaty greyish 

 brown, marked with small dark brown spots, bordering on 

 black. The cheeks and neck are the same colour as the head. 

 An elliptic ring of pale greyish brown surrounds the eyes, 

 and below this, on the cheeks, is a spot of whitish brown. 

 The back, rump, and wing coverts are of a deep warm brown, 

 with paler coloured margins ; the outer pen feathers are 

 dusky black, and in the centre of them is a dingy white 

 spot, formed by a greyish white margin on each side, on 

 about seven feathers in the centre of the wings — on the first 

 two of the secondary flights, and five of the primary pen 

 feathers immediately adjoining them. The primary wing 

 coverts are dusky black, with light-coloured edges, and 



