BRITISH BIRDS. 45 



able to pick, crushed hemp is the best feeding for 

 them. 



These birds will breed among themselves in cage or 

 aviary, and pairing with allied species, will produce 

 hybrids freely ; crosses have been obtained with the 

 canary, bullfinch, linnet, redpoll, siskin, greenfinch, and 

 some of the foreign finches, but the two first are those 

 ordinarily met with. Length, 5^ inches ; tail, 2. 



Siskin. — While the goldfinch resides in Great Britain 

 throughout the year, the siskin only visits us during the 

 winter, though a few pairs may remain and breed in the 

 north. 



The top of the head and the throat are black in the 

 male ; the cheeks, back of the neck, and the back are 

 green, streaked with black in the last situation ; the 

 rump, breast, under part of the neck, and a line that passes 

 over each eye, yellow. The flights are black, and the 

 wing coverts and secondaries are tipped witli yellow. 



The food consists of seeds of all kinds, those of the 

 birch, alder, fir, and pine, being first favourites; in the 

 winter it will eat any small seeds of weeds it can find, as 

 well as a few buds of trees. 



The female has no black, and is greyer than the male. 



The siskin is readily domesticated, and breeds freely in 

 the house, where its natural tameness makes it a favourite. 



Linnet. — The adult male is a beautiful chestnut brown 

 on the upper surface, and the breast, as well as the fore- 

 head, rosy red. The flights and tail are black, the former 

 tipped with greyish yellowish white, and the four outer 

 feathers of the latter have white edges. 



The female is brownish grey, with darker streaks and 

 spots ; the under parts are lighter than the upper, and have 

 darker spots ; there is no trace of red about her. 



The young resemble their mother until the first moult. 



