232 IN BIRD LAND. 
cut-throat finches and other dainty folk from across 
the sea, with indigo-birds, nonpareils, goldfinches, 
and song-sparrows from our own land. Of these, 
the nonpareils, or painted finches, were the most 
gifted singers, having loud, clear voices that rang 
far above the voices of their fellow-prisoners. No 
birds make daintier pets than these pretty creatures, 
with their delicate blue and red costumes. ‘The 
next best singer in this collection was the American 
goldfinch, which was not far behind the nonpareil, 
and really excelled him in one respect, — that is, his 
song was more prolonged and varied. 
The next collection was certainly a parti-hued 
one, containing cardinal grossbeaks, Brazilian car- 
dinals, crow blackbirds, towhee buntings, brown 
thrashers, and English blackbirds. I had the pleas- 
ure of hearing the song of the Brazilian cardinal. 
It was quite fine, but scarcely comparable with the 
rich, full-toned, and varied whistle of our cardinal- 
bird, being much less vigorous, slower in move- 
ment, and feebler in tone. It was gratifying to be 
able to give the palm to our North American 
songster. 
But of all the clatter of bird music and bird noise 
combined that I have ever heard in my life, the 
song of the English starling bore off the bays. 
Never before had I listened to such divers sounds 
from a bird’s throat, nor had I even fancied that 
they were possible. Small wonder a well-trained 
starling costs from twenty to forty dollars at the 
bird stores! No description can do justice to the 
