/ Sortie Account of the British Song Birds, 417 



of animated nature. Although his notes are neither remark 

 able for their variety nor compass, yet there is a richness of 

 tone highly pleasing; a gentility of enunciation which seems 

 to indicate that the bird is designed to be an inmate of the 

 sylvan palace, rather than of the rustic bower. The goldfinch 

 is serviceable to man, in choosing as food the seeds of some 

 of the worst weeds ; and, as if relying on this piece of service, 

 fearlessly trusts to his protection by nestling in some fruit or' 

 otiier tree* near his dwellings. 



Yringilla Linbta, Common Linnet. — Next in quality, but 

 superior in powers and variety of song, to the preceding, is 

 this common bird. The song is not easily described, but he 

 has some charming passages, very attractive to a musical eai\ 

 The linnet is a rustic, but always chooses the most flowery 

 and sweetest parts of rural scenery for his abode and breeding 

 place ; viz. the open woodlands, that are based with blooming 

 furze and broom. He is also a favourite cage bird, and well 

 repays the care of keeping ; being teachable, and when young 

 readily learns whatever is taught him. 



Fringilla cannabina and Yringilla Lindria, Greater and 

 Lesser red-headed Linnets, or Redpoles, resemble the fore- 

 going in their action and habits ; but they are both inferior in 

 song, being scarcely audible among others. 



Fringilla Splza, Chaffinch, — The musical powers of this 

 well-known bird are not great; consisting only of a short and 

 rather sprightly strain of a few notes, somewhat in the style of 

 the yellowhammer ; but being a bustling early singing bird, 

 and frequenting gardens (where they are useful, being, during 

 summer, entirely insectivorous) and shrubberies in great 

 numbers, their united songs make up a considerable accom- 

 paniment in the woodland concert. The chaffinch has a 

 peculiar call when alarmed for the safety of his nest, or when 

 the clouds threaten rain ; in the latter case, he-is said to pro- 

 nounce the words, " wet, wet, wet," sometimes for an hour to- 

 gether. 



Fyrrhula vulgdris (heretofore Loxia Vyrrhula\ Bullfinch, — 

 This bird scarcely deserves to be ranked as a vocalist, as his 

 natural notes are only a few amatory calls : but having a good 

 mellow pipe ; tractable to learn little arts, as drawing his own 

 water; and teachable to pipe any short musical measure; 

 he has always a place in the aviary. 



* " I love to see the goldfinch twit and twit, i 



And pick the groundsel's feather'd seeds ; -' 



And then, in bower of apple-blossom perch' d. 

 Trim his gay suit, and pay us with a song." 



Hurdiis Evening Walk. — J. 1} 



Vol. IV. — No. 21. ee 



