Goldfinch. 109 



Have the timid, retiring creatures caught the bubbling in- 

 spiration of the orchard orioles a-swing in the topmost 

 twigs of the hedge, and followed them from their thorny 

 altars to the meadow mulleins and vervains? Silly, de- 

 luded creatures, to f\incy that their clamatorial " queet '' 

 is a fit accompaniment to the voluble music of the orchard 

 Bohemian! But out on the meadow weeds they perch 

 with restless manner, head erect, and alert for low-flying 

 insects that they recognize as their prey, ever flirting 

 their tails in the nervous motion characteristic of the fly- 

 catchers. Even out under the clear dome, with the blue 

 bending over them so invitingly, they never seek to rise 

 above their accustomed limits, and their sallies from the 

 weedtops and low brush-heaps are never far or high. 

 Thus from one station to another they forage restlessly ; 

 and true to their instincts, when disturbed they seek 

 shelter in the mazes of the hedges with which they are so 

 well acquainted. They depart for their winter homes in 

 tropical regions late in July, and after the first week of 

 August only exceptional loiterers are seen in this latitude. 



GOLDFINCH. 



In our spring rambles along the hedgerows we have 

 frequently heard the merry notes of the goldfinch, and we 

 have turned to watch the gay little creature rising and 

 falling overhead in rhythmic tin^ie to the sweet ditty which 

 attracted our attention. Through the spring and early 

 summer he flits here and there with his companions, 

 fancy-led and care-free; and it is only after most of the 

 birds have reared their broods and forgotten their songs 

 that he begins to take life seriously and sets up his estab- 

 lishment in the form of a down-lined cup on a con- 

 venient part of the hedgerow. What if he is dilatory in 

 arranging his household? He expects to remain with us 

 to give color to the winter landscape, after having scat- 

 tered golden cheer in the parched and dusty summer. 



The goldfinch is one of our few permanent residents, 

 and hence he merits our warm friendship, though at 

 times he seems to forfeit it by entering our gardens with- 



