THE RED LINNET. 93 



O blessed wandering spirit ! unto thee 

 Pure hearts are knit, as unto things too fair 

 And good and beautiful of earth to be, — 



Linnet, wild linnet ! " 



Nicholl. 



The Red Linnet, a beautiful singing, or we might 

 say whistling bird,- is one that should be as univer- 

 sally kept as the canary. His song is equally as 

 sweet ; and he will sing for ten months of the year, 

 or the whole season, excepting during the time of 

 moulting. The song consists of a variety of low, 

 sweet-sounding notes, which are never harsh to the 

 ear ; and if kept near other birds, the power of imi- 

 tation being very good, he will soon add many beauti- 

 ful notes to the already sweet song. In confinement 

 he becomes very tame, and, if fed sparingly, will live 

 a number of years. He should be fed exclusively on 

 rape and canary seed, and, at times, a short allowance 

 of that. If hemp-seed is fed, very soon he has a 

 giddiness followed by epilepsy, and shortly after by 

 death. He is fond of bathing, of two kinds ; first, 

 like the sky-lark, in plenty of gravel, and second, in 

 water ; and a bath must be given daily. 



