THE STSKIX. 



The Siskin is larger than the goldfinch, and in appearance not so firm and compact. 

 Its prominent colours are black, bright yellow, sulphur-yellow, and a peculiar sort of 

 green, approaching to sage-green, but so peculiar as to give rise to the name of " siskin- 

 green." The bill, though hard and conical, is not, by any means, so powerful as that of 

 the goldfinch, and the bird is altogether of softer manners, and more resembles the 

 canary, except in colour and in being smaller. 



The wooded parts of the continent appear to bo its principal haunts ; but it is rather 

 confined to the middle latitudes, than extended either to the extreme north or south ; 

 and wheji it visits England, its haunts agree with such a locality, as it perches on shrubs 

 and trees, and feeds on the seeds and buds of these, rather than on the seeds of herbaceous 

 plants. In its wild state it is very common in Germany, where it remains all the year, 

 but in winter it wanders about in searcli of foeid, and most frequents the parts -well 

 planted with alders. In the house, Avhether in a cage or not, it soon becomes very 

 familiar. 



When wild its food varies according to the season ; in summer it cats in the woods the 

 seeds of the pine and fir; in autumn, of hojis, thistles, buidock ; in winter of tlie alder 

 and the buds of trees. 



In the house its food is poppy-seed and a little hempseed bruised. It is a complete 

 glutton, and, though so small, eats more tliiin the chaffinch ; it is at the seed-drawer 

 from morning till night, constantly eating, and driving off all its companions. It does 

 not drink less, and requires abundance of fresh water ; yet it bathes but little, only 

 plunging the beak in Ihe water, and thus scattering It over its feathers, but it is veiy 

 assiduous in arranging tliem ; it may bo called a fojj always engaged with finery. 



The siskin rarely l)uilds its nest among the alders, but generall}' in the pine forest;?, 

 placing it at the extremity of the highest branches, and fixing it tliere with cobwebs, llie 

 threads of insects, and lichens. The outer part is well conslrucfed of small twigs, and the 

 lining is formed of finely divided roots. It has two broods in the year, each of five or 

 six eggs, of a light gray, strongly spotted with purplish brown, particularly at llie large 

 end. The young males become finer each year till the fourtli. 



Tlieir ])lumage and .song arc both attractive, tliougli with the latter several tones arc 

 mingled, tliat somewhat resemble the noi.se made by a stocking-loom. 'I'liis makes them 

 great favourites with btocking-wcavers. They imitate tolerably, however, the song of 

 other birds. 



* Vidua ]',ivlhiiivii(li\is, — bwniii 



