212 



CITIZEN BIRD 



^ 



American Goldfinch. 



when I watched them swinging 



on the ends of the tall grass. 



Once in a while one would 



play lie was angiy and 



try to look cross; but he 



\ ^^; ^^^ couldn't keep it up long, 



^' - ™^^ ^ because he really felt so 



good natured." 

 f I^^^^^B^^^^ '' ^ believe every one 



vi ;I^^k ^SlSb^^^ knows Goldfinches," said 



Olive. " I remember them 



longer than any birds but 



the Robin and Bluebird." 



" Yes, for even I know 



them a little bit," said 



Dodo, " but not by their right name, for when I saw 



some in tlie Park last sunnner somebody said they were 



wild Canaries that had flown out of cages." 



" What do they eat, cones or little seeds ? " asked 

 Nat. 



" They eat grass-seeds, and the seeds of Aveeds — the 

 most fly-aw^ay weeds too, that blow everywhere and 

 spread ever so fast," said Rap. " Look, quick ! There's 

 a flock coming by now, and they are calling ' Come 

 talk to me ! Come talk to me ! ' See — they have set- 

 tled on the long grass by the fence and are gobbling 

 seeds like everything," continued Rap in a Avhisper. 



As he spoke a flock of twenty or more birds flew 

 over; some were the bright-yellow males and others 

 the more plainly colored females. They did not fly 

 straight, but in a jerky way, constantly dropping down 

 and tlien lifting up again, and calling out '' wait for 



