The Goldfinch Abroad 



fifty. Although not so numerous in the north of 

 the island as in the south, it is increasing rapidly 

 round Launceston and the suburbs, even breed- 

 ing in gardens when undisturbed. It is reported 

 as a very beneficial bird, owing to its habit of 

 feeding on scale insects and other pests of trees ; 

 the goldfinch being, like finches generally, in- 

 sectivorous to some extent, though its main 

 utility has always been supposed to lie in the 

 destruction of the seeds of thistles and other 

 weeds of the composite order of plants. This 

 case, therefore, is particularly interesting as 

 showing how a species may be unexpectedly 

 beneficial when introduced into a new country. 

 Since Mr. Littler wrote, the abundance of the 

 goldfinch in Tasmania has been testified to by 

 Mr. Dudley le Souef, the Director of the Mel- 

 bourne Zoological Gardens, who also says that 

 the bird is exceedingly plentiful in the southern 

 parts of Victoria, especially in gardens round 

 Melbourne and Geelong ; indeed, it even nests 

 in suburban streets in the latter city, frequenting 

 the roadside elms and other trees for this purpose. 

 In North America the goldfinch has been in- 

 troduced with much success. Mr. H. Nehrling, 

 writing in 1896, stated that the bird had then 

 been successfully naturalised a number of years 

 ago, and bade fair to become quite plentiful in 

 and near New York, Hoboken, Boston, Cam- 



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