THE BULLFINCH. 



I secured a large series of pictures of 

 this particular bird on and near her nest. 



The song of this species is short and 

 very soft. One day a fine male alighted 

 on a bare branch close to my hiding tent 

 and held forth with his head on one side, 

 as if listening to the sound of his own 

 voice, whilst his body seemed to throb 

 with the effort of producing even such 

 feeble notes as he commanded. 



Bullfinches learn the song of the 

 Canary when brought up under that 

 bird, instead of the notes of their own 

 species, and can be taught in confinement 

 to whistle all kinds of airs and melodies. 



