154 Bird- keep ing. 



or Lintwhite. Its various names seem to be due to the 

 changes of plumage in the males in summer and winter, 

 and to the fact that they do not acquire their red heads 

 and breasts till they are three years old. In confine- 

 ment the young birds never acquire this colouring, and 

 the old birds soon lose it. 



They are very attractive birds, shy by nature, but, 

 when tamed, becoming exceedingly affectionate both 

 to one another and to their owner. Two, which I 

 brought up from the nest (feeding them every two 

 hours with bread soaked in water and squeezed till 

 nearly dry, mixed with scalded rape-seed), were ex- 

 ceedingly tame, and used to come out of their cage 

 and fly about the room, perching upon my head and 

 shoulder to receive their favourite dainty of hemp-seed. 

 They are not active birds, and in an aviary are apt to 

 sit still on the ground and get trodden on, unless they 

 have branches to perch upon. Their natural song is 

 very melodious, and, once learnt from the parents, is 

 never forgotten, so that if it is desired that young 

 Linnets should learn the songs of the Nightingale, 

 Chaffinch, or Lark, or whistle airs played to them, 

 they must be taken out of the nest as soon as their 

 tail-feathers begin to grow. The males may be dis- 

 tinguished by the white about the neck, wings, and 

 tail. The hen has always the same spotted brown 

 plumage. 



The Linnet feeds on all kinds of seeds, especially 



