THE SPARROW AND FINCH FAMILY 83 
finches to rest upon. It is made late in the 
season, in July and sometimes in August. 
One of the most lovely bird-studies I ever had 
was of a pair of these birds nesting in a low plum- 
tree. While his mate was sitting, the gay little 
fellow hung around, doing nothing but watch- 
ing the tree that held his family. Every little 
while the sitting bird would begin to call her 
sweet-voiced “ s-w-e-e-t,” which sounds so much 
like a canary’s call. On hearing this he would 
answer her, and at once fly over to see if she 
was all right, or wanted anything. When he 
thought it time to eat, he would come and call 
her off. Both would then go to a patch of 
weeds, where they cracked and ate the seeds till 
they had had enough, and then go back to the 
nursery. 
These little birds eat mostly the seeds of 
weeds, — thistle, ragweed, and beggar’s-ticks, — 
as well as the larve of the wheat-midge and 
other pests, and they feed great quantities to 
their young. 
Goldfinches do not leave us in winter. The 
male puts off his bright coat and comes out in 
dull colors like his mate, except that he keeps 
his black wings and tail. All of a neighborhood 
collect in small flocks and stay about all winter, 
looking more like sparrows than goldfinches. 
