rut: ciiAtn.\<-/{. 841 



THE SDMMKI: KM. Hn:i> />,//,,/" ,rsfir,,,. This IB favorite cage bird in the Southern 

 >tat.-s. The male in wholly of a rich \.-nni!i<.n color, most brilliant on tin- lower part*, except 

 the inner vanes and tips of the winirv The female is of a M.UT brown color, or olive brow n. 

 It ,-. niiiiii- in tin- north until Au-u-t. when it retires southward, having raised its young, one 

 brood. Th<- note is a -ti-uii: sonorous whistle, resembling a loose trill, <>r shake on Uie note* 

 of u (if.\ frequently rejH'jit.-d : that of tin- female is rather a kind of chattering. She la, how 

 ever, rarely sen, and is usually mute, and scarcely to ]* distinguished from tin- color <.f the 

 foliap- at a distance ; whil- the loquacity and brilliant red of tin- male make him very con- 

 spicuous. This bin! is very abundant in the Qulf States. It is a rare summer visitor as far 

 north as New England. Its food consists of insects, and berries are eaten in the season. 



THE true Finches are known by their rather short and conical beak, their long and pointed 

 wings, and the absence of nostrils in the beak. Europe possesses many examples of these 

 birds, several of which are celebrated for their beauty of plumage and powers of song. 



AMONG the most beautiful of these birds, the GOULDIAN PINCH holds a high place, Its 

 plumage being decorated with the softest and most harmonious hues, the feathers glowing 

 with delicately opalescent shades of lilac, green, and golden yellow. 



This exquisite little bird is a native of New South Wales, and although not very scarce in 

 the district which it frequents, is yet decidedly local in its habits. It is seldom seen in the 

 open country, preferring to haunt the thicket and edges of forests, where it may be seen hop- 

 ping easily among the branches, in little bands of from four to seven or eight in number. The 

 voice of this finch is not remarkable for force or beauty, leing little more than a querulous 

 kin. I of twitter, which it utters mournfully when disturbed, at the same time Hying to the 

 .summit of the nearest tree, and there sitting until the cause of alarm is removed. 



The color of this bird is as follows: The head and throat are deep velvet-black, the back 

 and wings are soft yellowish-green, and a stripe of bright verditer-green runs from behind tin- 

 eye down the sides of the neck, until it is merged in the yellow-green of the back. Across the 

 breast i tins a broad Imnd of purple, yellow, or lilac, and the whole of the under surface is 

 golden-yellow, with a kind of waxen gloss. The bill is scarlet at the tip. ami while at the 

 base. These tints belong only to the adult bird, the young being soberly chid in gray, buff, 

 and olive. 



Ox the colored illustration of the Finches, one represents the GOLDFINCH. It is one of 

 the most familiar and prettiest songsters of Europe. 



The Cn A n i N < n. another representative of the same species, is one of the commonest field 

 birds, being spread over the whole of Europe in very great numbers, and frequenting hedges, 

 fields, and gardens with equal impartiality. It is a most gay and lively little bird, and wh 

 singly, or assembled in large flocks, it always adds much life to the landscape, and delights 

 the eye of every one who is not a farmer or a gardener, both of which personages wage deadly 

 war against the bright little bird. For the Chaffinch is apt at times to be a sad thief, and has 

 so strong a liking for young and tender vegetables, that it pounces u|m the green blades of 

 corn, turnips, radishes* and similar plants, as toon as they push their way through the soil, 

 and in a few hours destroys the whole of the seedlings. In one instance, a few Chaffincl 

 settled upon a piece of ground about one hundred and twenty yards square, that had beei 

 planted with turnips, and before the day had closed, they had pulled up every young shoot 

 and eaten a considerable amount of them. 



As, however, is the case of the rook, the chief food of the Chaffinch consisi 

 which would be most noxious to the agriculturist, and in all probability the harm which th-> 

 do in eating young plants and buds is more than counterbalanced by the benefit which t 

 confer in destroying myriads of dangerous insects. 



