HAftDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



183 



THE BULLFINCH. 



A S " J. R. S, C." does not seem acquainted with 

 -"- the Bullfinch in an aviary, perhaps a few words 

 may be interesting. 



The Bullfinch kept in a cage is very different to 

 that kept in an aviary. He seems very solitary, 

 sitting on the perch with an air of indifference 

 that almost amounts to moping, and if the mono- 

 tony is broken by his song, it is so poor that it is 

 scarcely worth mentioning; indeed, the hen sings 

 equally as well as the cock. 



Yet in a cage he will become remarkably tame, 

 especially if you can find the food he likes best, tak- 

 ing care that he takes nearly all of that particular 

 food from the hand : he will then soon answer to a 

 name, if the name be made use of at the time of 

 feeding. 



Last season my son brought up a nest of bull- 

 finches, with an idea of teaching them the " Blue 

 Bells of Scotland;" but as they did not turn out good 

 scholars, they were let fly in the aviary, and at any 

 time the tune was played, they would assemble and 

 get as close to the performer as possible. 



The wild sons of the Bullfincli is low and jarring, 

 but it has also about two low piping notes. Although 

 such a poor songster, it has an odd yet fascinating 

 manner when singing, moving its head from right 

 to left. 



The English Bullfinch is a better speculation than 

 the German bird ; indeed, all birds from Germany arc 

 very delicate, and rarely live long in this country. 



If you wish your bird to pipe a tune, you must 

 have him from the neet. In Germany the bird is 

 brought up from the nest and kept principally in 

 the dark while being taught by a bird-organ ; but 

 after all this training many birds will not pipe worth 

 anything. 



"Without any trouble the Bullfinch is an interest- 

 ing pet, and may be seen to perfection in an aviary. 

 So different to the bird kept in a cage, so attentive 

 to his hen, displaying much sprightliness in flying 

 about, taking his bath, and singing as best he can, 

 calling the hen to nest, and also helping her to build; 

 now iii the nest uttering that peculiar call " pheew, 

 pheew." How many times when a boy have I fol- 

 lowed the sound, thinking it proceeded from young 

 birds being fed or in distress. 



Last autumn I placed a pair of these birds in my 

 aviary, where all kinds of birds are kept, and instead 

 of interfering with their neighbours, it is just the 

 reverse. Some few days ago they partly built a nest, 

 but the Hawfinch thought proper to make a roost- 

 ing-place of it, so the Bullfinch had to give it up : 

 they are busy now searching for another place ; in- 

 deed, I think if the hen could find a nest ready- 

 made she would like it; for, upon a canary leaving 

 her nest, that is situated not far from that which 

 was half built by the Bullfinch, she took up her 



quarters in the Canary's nest, and was making her- 

 self comfortable, when the Canary returned, and ol 

 course beat her out. The Hawfinch being removed, 

 they have now finished their nest ; so in a few days 

 I expect to find eggs. 



An aviary is not complete without the Bullfinch, 

 where he seems as happy as though he were in the 

 woods : he will be found to live upon good terms 

 with his leathered companions, from the Siskin to 

 the Hawfinch, and a hybrid bullfinch is sometimes 

 seen. 



I have often heard of the colour of this bird being 

 changed by feeding upon hemp-seed, but think it 

 must not be accepted as the rule, but rather the 

 exception. 



The Bullfinch does not congregate in flocks, as the 

 Goldfinch, Chaffinch, &c. ; consequently they are 

 caught at all seasons of the year by birdlime twigs : 

 those taken at the fall of the year are most likely 

 to live. His meat should be rape and canary, with 

 hemp-seed about twice a week. Should he fall sick, 

 he should have maw-seed, hard-boiled egg chopped 

 fine, also sopped bread aud milk : to keep your bird 

 in health, he should be bountifully supplied with 

 gravel and water, also green meat. 



Chas. J. W. Btjdd. 



YELLOW ANT. 



(Formica JIava.) 



rpiilS ant (that is the neuter or worker) is 

 -*- in size scarcely bigger than the well-known 

 black ant. Its localities are on the turf and 

 hedge-banks on the borders of roads. It swarms 

 in September; respecting which I find the fol- 

 lowing note iu my diary under September 15th, 

 1870: — To-day, after a long ramble, and feeling 

 somewhat fatigued, I lay down on the grass by the 



side of the H road. I had not lain long before 



I noticed that the grass stems for yards around 

 were covered with glittering moving particles. 

 Looking more closely, I found them to be an im- 

 mense number of the large winged females of the 

 yellow ant preparing to migrate, aud that the glit- 

 tering appearance proceeded from their wings, of 

 which each ant has four. These females were very 

 much larger than the neuters, and of a darker colour, 

 but yellowish below. On searching around, I found 

 several nests of these ants, or at least holes through 

 which the insects issued in great numbers. The 

 light-coloured neuters were clustered round these 

 holes, aud as each of the gorgeously- apparelled 

 females made her appearance from the hole, she 

 was surrounded by the neuters, who stroked and 

 caressed her with their antennae just as we see a 

 fond mother giving the finishing brushiugs, arrang- 

 ings, and congratulations to her child when setting 

 out for school. The insect, after passing through 

 this ordeal, mounted on the top of a blade of grass 



