orange; the taft a litjle forked: belly; and vent dirty white,
marked with obfcure yellowifh and d.ufky fpots: legs, lead-
colour.
P l a c e . This fpecies is found about Tripoli', in Syria.: is a bird of
paflage, and faid to fing very finely.
We are indebted, foe the three laft, to the pencil of Mr. Bruce„
from whofe drawings the deferiptions were taken..
La Linotte, Brif. am. iiL p._ 13,1. 294.—Buf. 01/ iv- p.. c8. pL 1.—
Ph enl. T51. f. i.—~Frifcb* pi. 9.— Qltn. uc. pi. in.j>. 45.
Common Linnet, Raii Syn. p. 90. A. i.— Will. am. p. 258. pi. 46.——
Rr. Zaol. i. N° 130.— Ar£l. Zool._
Br. Mu/. Lev. Mu/
Descrutiok. ' I * H I S bird is well known :. the length of it five inches and a;
half. The bill grey, with a brown tip, and .inclines to blue-
in the fpring: the irides hazel: the plumage on. the upper parts-
dark reddilh brown; the margins of the feathers pale a the head;
feathers are very dark, with cinereous edges; and the fides of the;
neck of this laft colour : on the throat a line of brown,, bounded,
on each fide with white: the under parts of the body dirty
reddifh white; the breaft is.deeper, than the reft, and in fpring;
becomes of a beautiful crimfbn.: the fides fpotted with brown:
on the wings is a longitudinal white mark: the quills are dufk-yr
the tail brown, edged with white, except the two middle feathers,,
which have reddifh margins; the fhape of it a little forked : legs,
brown.
F emale. The females and young birds want the red fpot on the breaft,,
but inftead of it have fhort perpendicular ftreaks of brown in the
fame place : the female has alfo lefs white in the wings than the
7 male-,
+- l in n e t .
V I N C • H. 3-3
male,' and the colours in general lefs bright. What has been
faid concerning the red on the breaft, however, only holds good
-of the bird in a natural ftate, as the moft beautiful breafted male
foon lofes the crimfon when confined in a cage ; nor does it regain
it even in fpring, during its ftate of confinement. It is faid
.to live fourteen years, or more *.
This bird is fufficiently common in England, and breeds on
low fhru'bs, black and white thorn, and furze. The outfide of the
neft is compofed of dried herbs, graft, and mofs, and lined with
•wool, or hair. The female lays as far as. five white eggs, fpotfed
with reddifh brown at the large end. Buffon talks of having nefts
"brought to him in May, July, and September-, but whether they
breed more than twice in a year, in England, is not certain. They
are frequently found in flocks, during the winter; and feed on
many kinds of feeds, and are faid to be fond of flax-feed (Lihum)
-whence perhaps their name: are found throughout France, Italy,
•Germany, the fouth of RuJJia, and many other parts of Europe;
and it is not irnprobable but that it is alfo met with at the Cape
■ of Good Hope
There are only two varieties mentioned of this bird J. The
one white > the quills and tail black, edged with white, as in the
common.
P lace a n »
Manners.
V arieties*
# W'illugbby.— As far as eighteen. Salerne.
i* I fay this on the fuppofition of its being the jEgithus of Ärißotle> as Belott
thinks. Kolben mentions one, by name the Azgitbus, as being common at the
Cafe, and a bird well known in Europe, but does not deferibe it. He adds, that
it is at enmity with affes, for deftroying the neft, which it conftantly builds upon
thißlts. See Kolb. Cap. vol. ii. p. 156.
J Hiß. des oif.
The