168 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



to get out of the cage and constantly repeating a little " Wick-wick-er-wick !" 

 We did not dare let it go while the weather was so cold, so we left it in the 

 cage and gave it sonic sunflower, catnip, mustard and other seeds to eat. We 

 thought that if it would eat at all, it would probably eat tlie sunflower seeds, 

 as Goldfinches are so fond of them in the fall. Hut f did not see it eai a 

 single one. although it did eat other seeds. 



It did not act at all like one would expect a wild bird to. At first, in the 

 morning, it kept trying to get out, but later on, nearly every time we were 

 near, it would stop trying to escape and would peek at the seeds instead. It 

 seen:cd to really like to have us near it. As the day went by it gradually 

 grew quieter and spent more of the time eating. It acted real hungry. It 



was very fond of the mustard seeds and in the afternoon would cat them from 

 our fingers. As soon as we would hold the seed down to the cage it would 

 come up and put its hill up and take the seed, just like a young bird takes 

 food from its parent's hill. 



During the day we placed a small dish of water in the cage. At first the 

 Goldfinch did not drink any. hut later on it grew thirsty .and did drink, and 

 then if a little bird ever had a sweet expression in its eyes that one bad. 

 It put its hill down to the water, took a sip. and then, the same as birds usual 

 Jy do, raised its hill and eyes I havenward, and its eyes were fairly filled 

 with love. .Alter an instant it put its head down again, took another sip and 

 continued as before. 



By afternoon it seemed to he quite contented, so we thought thai perhaps 

 we would he able to keep it until sprint; and then let it go. \Vc knew it would 

 have to he .allowed to fly some or its wings would grow weak, so toward night 

 we opened the door of the cage to let it out in flic room. We waited until 

 late in the day SO that, in case the Goldfinch should he so wild that we could 

 not easily catch it again, darkness would soon set in and the bird would 

 go to sleep, so that then we would be able to catch it. 



It did not come out when we opened the door, so we look oil' the lop of Hie 

 cage. It came out then, hut the poor thing was so weak it could fly no better 

 than a young bird just learning to use its wings. Instead of being afraid, it 

 flew to us and tried to cling to our dresses. When we picked it up and held 

 it to our neck it would cuddle up sleepily against us. 



We tried a feu limes to have it fly. hut it was so weak we final h ^ ; i \ < ■ 

 it up. When we weni I" look al it the next morning the poor thing lay dead 

 ill the bottom of the cage. I guess the cold weather had been too much lor 



it. I buried it with a Downy Woodpecker, which one of my sisters found 



one night lying dead on the ground. 



Last May we had another visitor and I am glad In sav I his one's visit end 

 ed in a happier way. We found it in a very strange place. 



