284 COMMON GRAY, OR BROWN LINNET. 
reared from the nest. The song is continued in 
confinement. 
In addition to the mainland, the Common 
Linnet extends sparingly to Orkney and Shetland.* 
In Europe, in suitable localities, it ranges from 
north to south, though we are not aware of the 
particular districts where it most abounds or fails. 
Smyrna is given as a habitation, and Japan is 
stated by Temminck as possessing it. 
In the breeding plumage, the adult male is a 
beautiful bird ; the forehead running back upon 
the crown, and the breast, are bright carmine 
red, the feathers having a shining lustre, the 
throat and neck yellowish white, streaked with 
brown. The cheeks, occiput, and neck, are 
brownish gray, upon the hind head having the 
feathers darker in the centre ; the back, scapu- 
lars, and wing-coverts, chestnut brown, shading 
into a paler tint on the rump. The quills are 
brownish black, edged with white on the outer 
webs ; the tail of the same colour, having the 
outer webs entirely white at the base, and the outer 
half of the inner webs of the same colour. The 
flanks, centre of the belly, and under tail coverts, 
pale chestnut red. In the female, the carmine of 
the head and breast is wanting, and the upper 
and under plumage is different shades of umber 
brown, having the centre of the feathers darker. 
In winter, also, all trace of red on the plumage is 
lost, the feather which the carmine patch occupies 
* Low. 
