327 



ever look inside a nest. And it is impossible to do any 

 good by interference. 



My Ribbon Finclies had a nest, and the first I knew 

 of it was seeing these young birds sitting on a branch 

 and crying to be fed. IsabeIvLA Wii^SON. 



THE SISKIN. 



Chrysoinitris spinus, Linn. 



This lively and altogether delightful member of the 

 Friiigillidce family is so truly a cosmopolitan in its habits 

 that a list of the places where it is not to be found would 

 probably be the easiest method of dealing with its 

 habitat, but when I say that its proper home appears to 

 be in the north of Europe, I think that for present 

 purposes I shall have said all that need be said on that 

 point. I will venture to add, however, that it is more 

 common in England than is generally supposed. Abird- 

 (lealer acquaintance of mine, who gets consignments of 

 Linnets from various parts of the Midlands, frequently 

 has a few Siskins amongst them. 



Speaking of Siskins to a bird-catcher, (aviculture, 

 like povert}', brings us in contact with queer folk), he told 

 me that he had been catching, off and on, for forty 

 years, and had in his time taken as many as seven dozen 

 Siskins "at a pull," but then that only occurred in one 

 of their flight years, because, he'd have me to know, 

 Siskins onh' visit England in flocks at intervals of seven 

 years ! Truly we live and learn. 



As a cage-bird, the Siskin is much more desirable 

 than many birds generally inclnded under that head. It 

 takes kindly to captivity, and with reasonable care ami 

 attention soon adapts itself to its new surroundings 

 and becomes quite tame. It seems blessed with a pro- 

 digious appetite, and for a bird of its size consumes an 

 enormous quantity of food. As it only requires and does 

 best on plain canary seed as a staple diet (hemp seed and 



