494 



REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



either as birds of passage or as permanent residents. They feed on 

 various kinds of seeds and larvae of insects, the latter of which they 

 obtain in the early mornings of summer and autumn by searching 

 the lower surface of the leaves of oak, ash, and other trees. 

 They inhabit indifferently the woods, gardens, or high mountain 

 ridges. In the early days of spring the mellow, modulated "tweet, 

 tweet, tweet " of the Chaffinch is exceedingly pleasant to hear ; but 

 its monotony is apt to fatigue, for its eternal refrain makes it seem an 

 affectation of gaiety, whence probably the French proverb, "gai comme 

 un pinson" 



'. \ ~^-' y 



Fig. 212. Canaries. 



The Canaries (Fr'mgilla canaria, Fig. 212) are only known in 

 Britain and France as cage-birds, where they are recognised by their 

 yellow plumage, more or less varied with green, although the facility 

 with which they breed with the Linnet, Goldfinch, and others of the 

 group, has introduced great varieties of colouring. Originally from 

 the Canary Islands, they were first imported into Europe in the 

 fifteenth century, and such was the charm of their song, added to 

 their natural docility and gay plumage, that every one was eager to 

 possess them. Buffon says, in his elegant manner, that if the Nightin- 

 gale is the songster of the woods, the Canary is the chamber musician. 

 Their race propagates, moreover, so rapidly, that the poorest can 

 afford to possess them ; for these elegant little creatures are to be 

 found among every grade of society, pouring out their joyous melody 



