British Birds. 
The Siskin. 
different in colour, and is easily distinguished by 
its white rump, black head, and orange breast. 
This is as the bird appears in summer, for in 
winter all the feathers have paler edges, which 
obscure the bright plumage which lies under- 
neath, and the female is always duller in colour 
than the male. The Brambling is a winter visitor 
to Britain, and it is sometimes seen in large 
numbers, frequenting the beech woods during 
the day, feeding on the beech-mast, and betak- 
ing itself in the evening to the evergreen woods 
to roost. It nests in Scandinavia and throughout 
the northern part of the Old World, and is a 
familiar feature of bird life in Norway in the 
valleys, but still more so on the fjelds. There 
nearly every hill has its pair of Bramblings, 
which frequent the birch woods and build their 
nest in one of the taller trees. The nest is not at 
all easy to find, but its vicinity can generally be 
discovered by following up the note of the male, for the Brambling has a curious habit 
of sitting on the top of a tree and uttering a continuous note, more like that of 
a Bunting than a Finch. It is, in fact, something like the call of the Yellow Bunting, 
but has no inflection at the end, and is, of course, much more powerful. When 
giving vent to this note, the Brambling 
raises his crest and throws his head back, 
and is apparently engaged in uttering de- 
fiance to the Brambling which occupies the 
next hill, for the bird appears to be oblivious 
of everything except his challenge, and 
allows a spectator to approach within a few 
yards. When thus engaged the bird looks 
very handsome, his black head and orange 
breast being puffed out to their full extent. 
The Siskin (Chrysomitris spinus). This 
pretty little Finch is a great favourite with 
lovers of birds, on account of the facility 
with which it can be tamed. It nests in 
the pine-woods in parts of Scotland and 
Ireland, and is also found breeding over the 
whole of Northern Europe, and Northern 
Asia as far as Japan, so that its range The Goldfinch. 
