184 LAND-BIRDS. 



bushes, which in many places supplied this want, answered the 

 Goldfinches' purpose as well. On these bushes, or the tele- 

 graph-wires and posts, males and females, or when the latter 

 were on their nests, a solitary male or several, often perched. 

 They occasionally alighted in the road to pick up food, but 

 not very commonly. The daintiness and evident enjoyment 

 of their bath was very charming. They usually waded into a 

 gently flowing brook, which rolled over clean sand, and then 

 showered themselves with the water tossed up by the splashing 

 of tlieir wings, bobbed their heads into the clear stream, next 

 dressed their feathers, and finally flew away, twittering ex- 

 pressions of their pleasure. In the early part of the summer 

 they often appeared in the gardens and fruit trees of the vil- 

 lage, but in Septsmber congregated where thistles were abun- 

 dant. On the heads of these weeds they perched, until the 

 stalks swayed to the ground ; and, when this brief ride was 

 finished, they bent over to feed upon the seeds. In the same 

 way do they often treat the garden-iris in summer, when the 

 rich blue or purple of that flower forms a most gorgeous con- 

 trast with their plumage. AVhilst assembled, the Goldfinches 

 are always extremely harmonious, and seem to express their 

 happiness by their delightful cries. 



Their flight, as every one who knows them must have ob- 

 served, consists of a series of marked undulations, and occa- 

 sionally of great circles in the air. If pursued by any bird of 

 prey, they mount in circles often to a great height, knowing 

 well that they are safe only when above their enemies ; and, 

 though their powers of flight are not great, I have never seen 

 a Hawk or Shrike who was sufficiently persistent to exhaust 

 them, and thus to secure his prey. 



To retui'n to those '' Yellowbirds " who have passed the 

 summer in Massachusetts, they (or latterly substitutes from 

 the north) are tolerably abundant in September, and less so in 

 October. Sometimes at this season they associate with the 

 sparrows, and feed in asparagus beds, old vegetable gardens, 

 and like places. Before October has passed away, they become 

 quite uncommon, and assume many of their winter habits. 

 Their haunts are much the same throughout the year, and 



