194 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



on the banks of the river during severe weather in 

 January, and generally remain with us for several 

 weeks, some occasionally prolonging their stay till 

 April ; but, as a rule, we seldom see them later than 

 the beginning of March. Whilst with us, the 

 favourite haunts of the Siskin are the groups of 

 alders near the river, the small flocks, in which the 

 females always greatly outnumber the males, keep 

 together, constantly uttering a musical call-note, and 

 cluster in all sorts of positions upon the sprays which 

 hang over the water. The Siskin is one of the most 

 naturally tame and familiar birds with which I am 

 acquainted, and becomes immediately reconciled to a 

 cage. I well remember an instance in which a male 

 bird of this species, which had not been caught more 

 than a few days, escaped from his cage, but returned 

 to it in the course of an hour or two, and this 

 without the attraction of a companion in captivity, 

 and in spite of an abundance of favourite food in the 

 shrubbery into which he had made his way. The 

 Siskin breeds in considerable numbers in the High- 

 lands and occasionally in other parts of Scotland, and 

 many instances of its doing so in England are on 

 record ; it will nest freely, in favourable circum- 

 stances, even in confinement. From its extreme 

 tameness, pleasant notes, and beauty it is a most 

 attractive cage-bird, and thrives well in confinement. 

 As we never have had the good fortune to meet with 

 a nest of this species, we must refer our readers to 

 Yarrell's ' British Birds ' for a full account of its 

 breeding-habits, eggs, &c., and will only here add 

 that it is known as a winter visitor to most parts of 

 central and southern Europe, in which it occasionally 

 and irregularly remains to nest. The Siskin is also 



