232 PASSERES. FRINGILLAD.^. 



beautiful fruit, as it sits among the dark green 

 foliage. It is also called the Goldfinch. 



I shot a male in September, and wounding him 

 only in the breast, picked him up, more frightened 

 than hurt. I carried him home in mv handkerchief, 

 and put him into a large cage, where he soon 

 became quite a favourite. From the very first he 

 was fearless and lively, found the use of the perches 

 immediately, and did not flutter or beat himself 

 against the sides, though persons stood close to the 

 cage. This was large enough to allow him a short 

 flight ; and as there were several perches inserted at 

 various heights and distances into the sides, he 

 spent a great deal of his time in leaping from one to 

 the other, seeming to enjoy it much. Seeing this, I 

 put in one or two more, which were no sooner ready 

 than he took notice of them, stretching himself 

 towards them, cautiously at flrst, as if doubtful 

 whether they would bear him ; soon, however, he 

 ventured boldly, and then took them regularly in 

 his course. He always slept on the highest perch, 

 with his head behind his wing. He was in full 

 plumage, and his gay breast, and the fine contrasts 

 of his striped head and wings, showed him ofl* to 

 advantage. I knew nothing that he would eat, save 

 the berries of the bully-tree, none of which grew 

 within a considerable distance. I first tried him 

 with a few insects, and small earthworms, but he 

 took no notice of these : then I gathered a few 

 bunches of fiddle-wood berries, which I had no 

 sooner stuck into his cage than I was pleased to see 

 him hop towards them, and pick off* the ripe ones 



