There is little doubt that this beautiful species, if unmolested, would become a regular summer visitor to this country. Every year during the spring migration several of these birds are seen and shot, chiefly in our southern and south-western counties, and there is no doubt that it has on several occasions successfully reared its young in this country. Its brilliant colouring unfortunately attracts the eye and the gun of those whose sole thought on seeing a rare bird is to kill it, and the large mass of nature lovers are thus deprived of the pleasure of a glimpse of this brilliant bird.

It breeds commonly over most of Europe, throughout France, Germany, and Russia, but is scarce along the countries bordering the North Sea.

The nest is suspended from the fork of a branch of some tree, usually in woods, and is a carefully woven structure of strips of bark and grass stems. The eggs are white with a few large black spots.

The male is golden yellow all over, except for the quills, wing coverts, and lores, which are black. The central pair of tail feathers are black, all the rest being black with yellow tips. Bill red. Legs lead grey. The female is greenish yellow and has the under parts striated with greyish. The young is still duller in colour than the female. Length 9·5 in.; wing 6 in.