THE BULLFINCH. 



177 



The Bullliuch is of rather retiring habits, keeping mostly 

 in the woods, at a distance from houses. In spring it often 

 visits gardens, where it does much damage by destroying the 

 buds of fruit trees and bushes, and is on this account much 

 disliked by gardeners. 



It is greatly prized by bird-fanciers in the county, who 

 take it by means of a call-bird and trap-cage, or with 

 bird-lime. It has a low warbling song, which is not heard 

 at any distance. 



The food consists chiefly of the seeds of various 

 weeds, such as those of the dock, groundsel, thistle, chick- 

 weed, and others, also of haws, elder-berries, and the hips 

 of the dog-rose. I have observed it frequently in my 

 garden in summer, feeding on the seeds of the early- 

 flowering forget-me-not (Myosotis dissitiflora). The nest, 

 which is generally placed in a low bush or tree, such as a 

 young spruce-fir, is easily distinguished from that of any 

 other small bird, for it is wholly composed of twigs and 

 rootlets. The eggs are from four to six in number, and are 

 greenish blue, spotted, and occasionally streaked, generally 

 towards the larger end, with purplish brown. 



VOL. I. 



