GOLDFINCH. 223 



and Fislier have alluded to a belief existing amongst our 

 Norfolk bird-catchers, "that both this species and the 

 bullfinch are polygamous to the extent of three or four 

 females to one male." I am quite unable to substan- 

 tiate this supposition in either case ; but even if 

 considered probable as regards the bullfinch, I think the 

 many little affectionate traits exhibited, in confinement, 

 by the present species opposed to any such impression. 

 Although the improvements in agriculture and the in- 

 creased cultivation of waste lands have deprived them 

 of many a " breezy common," locahties are not wanting, 

 rich in the attractions of groundsel and plantain, or 

 white with the down of the seeding thistle. In 

 summer, their beautiful little nests excite our wonder 

 and admiration in garden and orchard, whilst here and 

 there on the foul pasture or rough weed-covered bank, 

 we find them in busy groups, fluttering round the 

 thistle-heads, or passing from stem to stem with sweet 

 musical notes, as the bright red and yellow of their 

 lovely plumage glistens in the sun of an autumn 

 morning. Our Norwich weavers, so celebrated for 

 their breed of canaries, known far and wide as the 

 '* Norwich yellows," also cross the goldfinch with the 

 canary, which, in many instances, produces a very 

 handsome ^*mule," and though but Kttle esteemed for 

 song, it is still a lively cage bird, more endurable in 

 a room than the canary itself, whose powerful, and 

 sustained notes, jar upon the nerves with their thrilling 

 vehemence. Many of these birds, bred from a male 

 goldfinch and an extremely light-coloured hen canary, 

 exhibit the most exquisite variations of plumage, and 

 being hardy in constitution, are by no means difiicult 

 to rear. The linnet and siskin are, also, occasionally 

 crossed with the canary, in the same way. Sir Thos. 

 Browne thus refers to the capture and training of this 

 species in Norfolk, some two hundred years ago, on 



