i 5 8 SKETCHES OF BIRD LIFE. 



tame, and will perch on the hand to receive food 

 when called. 



A young bird of this species, mentioned by 

 Yarrell, flew on to its owner's shoulder whilst 

 walking, and became in a few days very familiar, 

 not to say affectionate and playful. 



This docility on the part of the Greenfinch is 

 often turned to account by unscrupulous itinerant 

 bird-dealers in London, through whose machina- 

 tions many an unwary purchaser of a so-called 

 " beautiful foreign bird" (acquired probably at an 

 outlay of several shillings) has returned home to 

 find himself the possessor of nothing more nor less 

 than a painted Greenfinch, worth twopence ! 





