84 THE SECOND BOOK OF BIRDS 
The Western goldfinch which corresponds to 
this bird is called in California the WiLLow 
GOLDFINCH, but in looks and in habits of life 
he seems to be the same as the Eastern bird. 
He is a confiding little creature, and by a person 
of quiet ways may be made very tame. 
Among the finches will be found the CuEwrnx, 
or TowHEE Buntine, a bird nearly of the size of 
a catbird, who is sometimes called ground robin. 
He is black and white, with reddish sides and red 
eyes, and his mate is brown where he is black. 
He is usually found on the ground, where he gets 
his food, and where the nest is placed. 
There are several species in California, and 
the Western variety of the common chewink 
of the East is called the spurred towhee, with 
habits the same, so far as known. 
The chewink has at the best an exquisite song, 
though there is a great difference in singers, as 
there is in all bird families. The finest song is 
like a peal of silver-toned bells. 
A bird-lover whom I know found one day a 
nestling chewink who could not fly much, and 
seemed to be deserted, or lost, in a barren place 
on Long Island. Fearing that some cat would 
get him, he brought the bird home and put 
him inacage. The little fellow was not at all 
