BEWITCHING DOMESTIC LIFE 193 



ently endless number of conversational notes, 

 all in the same sweet voice. He is one of the 

 most voluble of birds, and I am constantly 

 hearing new utterances of various kinds from 

 him. 



The domestic life of the pair is bewitching, 

 the little matron so timid and clinging, with 

 such an appealing call, and the small spouse 

 so tender and devoted, sobered from his usual 

 jolly mood, and fully impressed with his re- 

 sponsibility as head of the family. They always 

 remind me of a boy-and-girl play-marriage, 

 a sort of Dora and David Copperfield affair. 

 When he approaches the nest and gives his 

 coaxing call, she is generally unable to resist 

 it, but leaving nest or eggs, or whatever en- 

 gages her, flies out to join him, and away 

 they go, bounding through the air, shining 

 like atoms of sunshine against the sombre 

 spruces, and in a moment returning to the 

 point they started from. 



I have elsewhere told the story of a young 

 goldfinch having been cared for by a canary. 

 Well-authenticated cases of similar kindness 

 to others are not uncommon among birds. 

 The subject has been treated from a scientific 



