CHAPTER XIY. 



The Mountain, or Grey Linnet. 



Fringilla Uaviostres, Lin. ; Cannabina montium, Lat. 



Description and Character. — The Mountain Linnet, or 

 Twite — the latter being the name by which it is most 

 familiarly known — greatly resembles the common Brown Linnet 

 {Fringilla linotd) in shape and general appearance, but is a 

 much smaller bird, and in its plumage is very like a home- 

 moulted Redpoll, minus the red spot on the head. In 

 Scotland it is termed the Heather Lintie. In some parts of 

 England it is called the Small Linnet, but this is, doubtless, 

 a distinct variety, combining in its colour and conformation 

 the characteristics of the Brown Linnet and the Lesser Red- 

 poll. In Germany it is known by the names of the Yellow 

 Linnet and Rock Linnet, and in France as the Lesser 

 Linnet. The designation " Twite " has been derived from the 

 call note of the bird, which greatly resembles that word. 



The extreme length of a male specimen, from tip of bill 

 to end of tail, is oin., of which the tail measures 2 Jin. 

 The bill is very short, and sharp at the point, and of a 

 greenish white colour ; the top of the head is pale cin- 

 namon brown, spotted and striped with dark brown. The 

 neck is greyer in colour, and more densely speckled with 

 brown, than the head. The back is of a warmer brown, 

 with a subdued tinge of red, and the brown stripes are 

 larger and less profuse. The wings are dark brown, with 

 narrow grey margins on the outer edges of the larger pen 

 feathers, and on the inner edges of the secondaries ; the 



