44 BRIGHT FEATHERS. 
Northern Vermont, I have heard him named the ** Wild Canary-bird,” 
from which one might infer that he was of near kinship to the familiar 
pet of our homes, and be not very far removed from fact so far as his 
size, form, and general habit is concerned. He is also known, in some 
parts of this country, as the Siskin ; a name derived from the Danish, 
Sesgen , the Swiss, Szska ; the German, Zerszg , which is bestowed in 
most cases by foreigners, and which refers him by analogy, to the Aber- 
devine or European Siskin which belongs to the same sub-species as 
his English congenor, the Goldfinch, 
Amid this redundant array of names however, the Common Yellow- 
bird or American Goldfinch pursues the cheery, even tenor of his way ; 
a pattern of modesty, sweet of voice, void of an excess of timidity or 
intrusiveness and very fond of the company of his own kith and kin. 
His satin like robe of golden complexion, renders him a conspicuous 
object on all occasions, and his modest familiarity, for once, has failed 
to breed the contempt of the well known proverb. 
This bird is a free rover. In the larger cities as well as in the 
villages and hamlets, he may be found as free and unfettered by care as 
in the open country. Should a city dweller have the privilege of a 
small garden plot, and for his own edification and relish choose to 
cherish a crisp bed of lettuce for the compounding of his own salads, he 
may, should he allow a few roots to assert their privilige, and grow to 
maturity, be sure some bright afternoon as he goes out to collect. and 
save the seed for another season, to find a bevy of these little birds 
ahead of him, industriously appropriating for their own food, the 
cherished germs of his choice variety. On such an occasion, should the — 
feast prove ample and inviting, these birds may be approached quite 
near, apparently heedless or careless of the proprietor of the mimic glebe. 
