THE GOLDFINCH 129 



they may be seen in some large tree, all singing 

 and calling in the most joyous and vivacious man- 

 ner. The males sing, and the females chirp and 

 call. Whether there is actual competition on a 

 trial of musical abilities of the males before the 

 females or not, I do not know. The best of feel- 

 ing seems to pervade the company ; there is no 

 sign of quarreling or fighting ; " all goes merry 

 as a marriage bell," and the matches seem act- 

 ually to be made during these musical picnics. 

 Before May is passed the birds are seen in 

 couples, and in June housekeeping usually be- 

 gins. This I call the ideal of love-making among 

 birds, and is in striking contrast to the squab- 

 bles and jealousies of most of our songsters. 



I have known the goldfinches to keep up this 

 musical and love-making festival through three 

 consecutive days of a cold northeast rainstorm. 

 Bedraggled, but ardent and happy, the birds were 

 not to be dispersed by wind or weather. 



