Finches. 153 



perfectly. It is very good tempered, and agrees with 

 other birds very well, though it is rather a greedy bird, 

 and will sometimes take possession of the seed-box in 

 an aviary, and drive them away from it. It drinks a 

 good deal, and throws the water over its feathers con- 

 tinually, so that it requires to be constantly supplied 

 with water, though it does not often go into the bath. 

 It should be fed on canary and bird-turnip, with hemp- 

 seed occasionally, feeding naturally on fir and pine, 

 alder, hop, thistle, and burdock-seeds, and assembling 

 in flocks near brooks and streams where the alders 

 grow in England. Siskins will build in a bird-room 

 or aviary, if provided with a fir-tree, and pair readily 

 with the Canary. The offspring of the Siskin and 

 Green Canary are said to be the strongest birds, but 

 the mules produced by the Siskin and Yellow Canary 

 are much the most beautiful : they are generally good 

 songsters. They often associate with Linnets. 



Siskins are generally healthy birds in captivity, but 

 are somewhat subject to epilepsy and to diseases pro- 

 duced by over-eating. They should not be confined 

 in a small cage, but be allowed to take plenty of ex- 

 ercise. They are very fond of nuts and almonds, and 

 will soon learn to take them from their mistress's hand, 

 and to become very familiar and friendly with her. 



The LINNET (Fringilla cannabina or linota) is also 

 called the Greater Redpole, Brown, Grey, and Rose 

 Linnet, the Whin Linnet, and, in Scotland, the Lintie 



