THE GOLDFINCH . 
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between the nest of the chaffinch and that of the Goldfinch 
( Fringilla carduelis). 
In point of beauty, neither yields to the other, for the mate- 
rials are much the same, and the mode of structure is nearly 
identical. The nest of the Goldfinch, however, is shallower 
than that of the chaffinch, and the lichens and moss of which 
it is partly made are not stuck on the outside, but are 
woven so deeply into the walls that the whole surface is quite 
smooth. 
The position of the two nests, however, is very different. 
Instead of choosing the forks of a bough, the Goldfinch likes to 
make its nest near the end of a horizontal branch, so that it 
waves about and dances up and down as the branch is swayed 
by the wind. It might be thought that the eggs would be 
shaken out by a tolerably sharp breeze, and such would indeed 
be the case, were they not kept in their place by the form of the 
nest. If one of the best examples be examined, it will be seen 
to have the edge thickened and slightly turned inwards, so that, 
when the nest is tilted on one side by the swaying of the bough, 
the eggs are still retained within. I have seen the branches of 
a tree violently agitated by ropes and sticks, and noticed that 
the eggs in a Goldfinch-nest retained their position until the 
branch was struck upwards close to the spot on which the nest 
was made, all the previous agitation having failed to dislodge 
them. 
The lining of the Goldfinch’s nest is unlike that which is used 
by the chaffinch. The latter bird mostly employs hair, while 
the former makes great use of vegetable-down, such as can be 
obtained from the willow, the coltsfoot, and other plants. Like 
other birds, the Goldfinch will not take needless trouble, and 
if it can find a stray tuft of cotton-wool, will carry it off, and 
work it into the nest. Sheep-wool is also used for the same 
purpose ; but the bird likes nothing so well as down, and will 
use it in preference to any other material. On this soft bed 
repose the five pretty eggs, white tinged with blue, and diversi- 
fied with small greyish-purple spots. Now and then a small 
