THE SISKIN. 



But since at length the wintry cold 

 Will come, and earth retentive hold 

 With frozen grasp the buried seed, 

 And snow conceal the tufted weed ; 



Sing, pretty bird ! though captive, sing ! 

 To thee no ill shall winter bring, 

 As to thy race at liberty, 

 Cold, want, disease ; but thine shall be 

 The crystal fount, the well-filled tray, 

 And warmth by night, and song by day. 

 And lengthened life, and hoary age, 

 Attend thy cheerful hermitage ! 



247 



THE SISKIN (Carduelis spinus), sometimes called the 

 Aberdevine, or Black-headed Thistlefinch. Next to the 

 Lesser Redpole, this is the smallest British bird of the 

 Passerine family, being about four inches and two thirds in 

 length. Although less richly coloured than its congener, the 

 Goldfinch, it is a very beautiful bird. The male has the top of 

 the head and throat black, the back greyish green, the sides 

 white, marked with black streaks, and the under part yellow. 

 It has a neat and compact form, like the Linnet. In this 

 country it is known chiefly as a winter visitant, although 

 there is no doubt that it does sometimes remain and breed 

 in the northern counties of England and Scotland. When 

 j, these birds are generally in small flocks, in company 



