242 THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE, 



handful of wheat or any other dry corn, or a spoonful of mustard 

 seed, on a great sponge that is fitted in an ornamental jar, and pre- 

 sently the sponge becomes a green field, and the little dear has the 

 delightful change of diet, without which, in all probability, it would 

 cease to live. 



When you have become thoroughly accustomed to the five finches 

 I have advised upon, there are others worth attention. The Bullfinch 

 is one of them. It is marvellously teachable, and when taught must 

 be very carefully kept up in its lessons, and prevented from spoiling 

 them by hearing other birds. A piping bullfinch for which I paid 

 a large sum of money, because of its superb rendering of the Scotch 

 air "Kest thee, babe," which had been taught it by means of a 

 flacreolet, actually incorporated with the tune the squeak of a wheel- 

 barrow, which itheard every morning early, and of which I was in 

 Jiappy — nay unhappy — ignorance until the mischief was done. But 

 I got through the difficulty. I imposed on a very near and dear 

 friend of mine who used to whistle like a fl.ute, to teach the bird 

 another tune, and he taught it " Sweet Jenny Jones," having a great 

 fancy for that tune, because he had so often enjoyed the performance 

 of it by the Lancashire bellringers, and the harpers of "Wales. A 

 piping "bullfinch is an elegant present for a friend, but before you 

 select such a present, be somewhat sure the friend will take proper 

 care of the bird. If you do not know how to secure a first-rate bird, 

 send to Mr. Hawkins, Bear Street, Leicester Square, for he imports 

 selected birds that are perfect in three tunes. I wish the Germans 

 would not teach them with the bird organ, for it does not impart a 

 sufficiently ti-ue tone to the voice; but there, if a bird sings passably 

 well it's a wonder, and if we must pay thirty shillings for such a bird, 

 the money, I think, is well spent. 



A piping bullfinch should be fed on poppy seed, a very little 

 hemp, and a scrap of dry thin biscuit twice a week, with a little 

 vegetable food every day. If you give your piping bullfinch much 

 hemp seed, you will soon have to pipe yourself — it may be because 

 the bird has ceased to sing, and it may be because it has ceased to 

 live. 



Another interesting bird is the Hawfinch, an impudent, comical 

 fellow, with a sort of roguish look about him. I was rather startled 

 one day to hear that my tame hawfinch, a very curious but affec- 

 tionate bird, was known below stairs as " the thief ; " and I must 

 say the moment I heard the word I saw the thief in him ; he bore 

 some resemblance to the " Artful Dodger " in Mr. Cruikshank's 

 wonderful illustrations to " Oliver Twist." Like the bullfinch, this is 

 a greedy bird, and will die of fatty heart if indulged with much 

 nourishing food. Rape and hemp are suitable food, but much of the 

 latter will soon make an end of it. 



The Crossbill I consider an extremely interesting bird, and every 

 one will agree that it is beautiful. It keeps up a pretty piping all 

 day long, is always in action, a ludicrous fidget, and in all its ways, 

 as well as its voice and appearance, resembles a parakeet. If you 

 can see your bird before you buy it, select cme with a fine red breast, 

 for then you will have a young bird not reared by hand, and with 



