1 46 Bird- keeping. 



have these occasionally, his ordinary diet being canary 

 and bird-turnip seeds : he is especially fond of hemp- 

 seed^and will sometimes refuse to sing unless provided 

 with his favourite food; but he must not be fed 

 exclusively upon this seed, it will cause blindness and 

 excessive fat. A few hemp-seeds daily may be given 

 to keep him in good humour, and these he should 

 receive from his mistress's hand. " Goldie " or " Gold- 

 spink " as he is sometimes called, is a great eater, and 

 is rather a greedy bird in an aviary, often driving other 

 birds away from the seed-boxes. A thistle-head should 

 be frequently given to Goldfinches, also lettuce or 

 cabbage-leaves, watercress, chickweed, and groundsel 

 occasionally. They build a very pretty substantial 

 nest of moss and lichen, lined with wool and thistle- 

 down, in apple and pear-trees ; and the female lays 

 five or six eggs. The young males may easily be 

 distinguished by a narrow white ring round the beak. 

 They may be reared from the nest on bread soaked in 

 water, and scalded rape-seed, and will learn the Canary's 

 song if put within hearing of a good songster : their 

 natural song has not much compass, but they are 

 always twittering and chirping. The Goldfinch will 

 pair with the Canary ; and the mule birds produced are 

 often very beautiful, and sing particularly well, but 

 they are seldom prolific. The best mules have a Gold- 

 finch father, and a clear yellow or white Canary mother. 

 It is necessary always to remove the Goldfinch as soon 



