THE SISKIN. 6 3 



ground and on the hill-side ; in fact, the woods were continually ringing with the 

 song of this bird. You might hear it as it flew over the wood uttering its peculiar 

 cry, half chirp, half song ; at one time flying straight forward, as if to some des- 

 tination, then turning and making a circuit, as if it did not know its own mind, 

 or as if it were loth to descend from its joyous flight, then again darting off" in a 

 new direction, whilst its notes would gradually die away. Its every tone and 

 movement is full of animation and delight, as if it were beside itself with pleasure ; 

 this is particularly the case in the nesting season, at which time I have seen the 

 male flying slowly towards some topmost spray of a fir-tree, pouring forth his 

 delightful little warbling song, which very much resembles that of a Goldfinch, 

 but is to my ears far sweeter. It very often sings when flying, but more frequently 

 when perching on some fir-tree top ; indeed the Siskin in spring seems more like 

 a visitor from a happier world." 



The Siskin usually places its nest high up, near the end of a lateral branch 

 of a fir- or birch-tree, or even at the top against the main stem ; but the nest is 

 also said to be sometimes built quite low down in spruce, furze, or juniper bushes, 

 though Seebohm was inclined to doubt the correctness of the records upon which 

 this statement is based, Naumann having asserted that the nest is always in con- 

 ifers, seldom less than twenty-five feet from the ground. The nest itself is neatly 

 constructed of moss and rootlets, upon a slight foundation of heather and bents, 

 and the lining consists of vegetable down, horsehairs, and sometimes a few feathers. 

 The eggs number from five to six, and exactly resemble those of the Goldfinch 

 in size, colour, markings, and variations : they are bluish green, usually pale ; 

 spotted, dotted, and sometimes streaked with dark chocolate brown, and with lilacine 

 greyish shell-markings ; as with the eggs of all the typical Finches, they vary 

 considerably in size.* 



Like all the true Finches the hen bird builds the first nest and incubates 

 alone, although the male as usual tries to help and only succeeds in hindering ; 

 whether he works in earnest at the second nest I do not know ; but, from his 

 close relationship to the Goldfinch, he should be capable of doing so. 



The Siskin feeds largely on seeds of weeds and beech-mast ; but during the 

 breeding season it eats a considerable number of aphides, and probabty small green 

 caterpillars, milky, unripe seeds of groundsel, sow-thistle, and similar weeds ; whilst 

 at all seasons, it is as mischievous as a Tit in destroying tender buds. In captivity 

 it eats the usual seeds, being especially fond of hemp and teasel, also soft food, 



The characters given by Howard Saunders to distinguish eggs of the Siskin from those of the Goldfinch 

 are only individual ; I have known a Canary lay eggs as blue as those of a Bullfinch in one nest ; and in the 

 next, considerably larger and almost white eggs : this is characteristic of all Fringillintr which lay bluish eggs. 



