60 BIRDS OF as PLATA 
undulating flight, feed chiefly on the ground like 
most Finches, and also frequently alight in the 
seeding-time on plants like the lettuce and Sonchus 
asper (a common weed), and, clinging to the stem, 
dexterously pick off the seed, scattering the down 
about them in a little cloud. They are very tuneful, 
restless, quick in their motions, apparently always 
in a light-hearted merry mood. Being much admired 
for their song they are often kept in cages; and 
certainly for cheerfulness and constancy in singing 
they take the foremost place amongst the Finches ; 
but there is little expression in the song, which is 
composed of a variety of short twittering notes, 
uttered with great rapidity, as the bird sits perched 
on a twig or undulates from tree to tree. Usually the 
notes flow in a continuous stream, but occasionally 
the bird sings in a different manner, making a pause 
of two or three seconds of silence after every eight 
or ten short notes. When the female is on the nest 
the male sometimes perches near her amongst the 
leaves and sings sotto voce, apparently for her hearing 
only, this whisper-song being so low that at a distance 
of ten yards it is hardly audible. 
The nest is usually placed between the angle 
formed by a small branch and the bole of the tree, 
and is a deep, well-made structure composed of many 
materials, and lined with horsehair, down, or feathers. 
The eggs are five, very small for the bird, pure white, 
and so frail that it is not easy to take them from the 
nest without breaking them, 
While engaged in building, the birds constantly 
