212 



CITIZEN BIRD 



AMi-RicAN Goldfinch, 



when I watched them swinging 

 on the ends of the tall grass. 

 Once in a while one would 

 play he was angry and 

 try to look cross; but he 

 couldn't keep it up long, 

 because he really felt so 

 good natured." 



'' I believe every one 



knows Goldfinches," said 



Olive. " I remember them 



longer than any birds but 



the Robin and Bluebird." 



" Yes, for even I know 



them a little bit," said 



Dodo, " l)nt not by their right name, for when I saAV 



some in the Park last sunnner somebody said they were 



wild Canaries that had flown out of cages." 



" What do they eat, cones or little seeds ? " asked 

 Nat. 



''• They eat grass-seeds, and the seeds of weeds — the 

 most fly-away weeds too, that blow everywhere and 

 spread ever so fast," said Rap. '' Look, quick ! There's 

 a flock coming by now, and they are calling ' Come 

 {alk to me ! Come talk to me ! ' See — they have set- 

 tled on the long grass by the fence and are gobbling 

 seeds like everything," continued Rap in a whisper. 



As he spoke a flock of twenty or more birds flew 

 over; some were the bright-yellow males and others 

 the more })laiidy colored females. They did not fly 

 straight, but in a jerky way, constantly dropping down 

 and then lifting up again, and calling out " wait for 



