148 THE GOLDFINCH, 



"With lis, in the house, they are principally fed on poppy, hemp seed, 

 properly varied with lettuce, rape, and canary seed. If allowed to range, 

 the second universal paste agrees very well with them. I have a goldfinch, 

 which appears in good health, and eats not only of all the vegetahles brought 

 to table, but also meat, though, in their wild state, these birds never touch 

 insects *. They must have green food occasionally, such as chick-weed, 

 Avater- cresses, lettuce, or endive. These birds feed largely, when loose in 

 the room, rarely leaving the food-dish, and driving off, if they can, with 

 loud cries, any of their companions who wish to approach. They will allow 

 lliose birds, however, to feed peaceably with them, that bear some analogy 

 to their species, at least, in the nature of the stomach, such as the canary, 

 siskin, and especially the lesser redpole, without distinction of male or female. 



Breeding The goldfinch prefers building in large orchards, at the tops 



of trees, on weak and terminal branches. It makes the most beautiful nest 

 of any of our birds, except the chaffinch, it being finely rounded, very 

 elegant and firm. The outer part is constructed of fine moss, lichens, 

 stalks of grass, and slender twigs ; the whole being interwoven with the 

 greatest nicety. The interior is lined with avooI, horse-hair, and the 

 cotton or down of the thistle f, or willow. The female has rarely more 

 than one brood in the year, unless she has been disturbed, and, in this case, 

 the number of eggs is always diminished ; on this account goldfinches never 

 appear to increase in number. On a sea-green ground, the eggs have pale 

 red spots and speckles, mingled with streaks of reddish black, which often 

 form a circle at the large end. The parent birds disgorge the food into the 

 young ones' ihroats. Before the first moulting the heads of the young 

 birds are grey. If it is only Mished to take male birds from the nest, all 

 that have a whitish ring round the root of the beak, must be left. They 

 must be brought up on poppy-seed and the crumb of white bread, soaked in 

 milk or water. Of all the natural songs of birds, they imitate most easily 

 and perfectly that of the canary ; they also pair with the canary, and pro- 

 duce together fruitful young ones. For this purpose, a male goldfinch is 

 paired with one or two female canaries, which succeeds better than by 

 placing a male canary with a female goldfinch ; the former being more 

 amorous, most favours this union, particularly if educated from youth. The 

 fruit of this union are not less distinguished for the beauty of their plumage, 

 often yellow, with the head, wings, and tail, of the goldfinch, than for the 

 sweetness of their song, whether natural or acquired. 



If you are afraid that a pair of canaries you value, may not hatch their 

 eggs as you wish, place them in the nest of a goldfinch in your orchard, and 

 you may be certain that they Avill be properly matured, and the young ones 

 brought up in the best manner. When they are ready to fly, place them 

 in a cage, and suspend it by the side of the nest till they can feed them- 

 selves. By this means you will have no trouble with their education. 



* We read in Buffon, that the Goldfinch feeds its young with caterpillars ; this is 

 not natural to the species, suice we find farther on, that the parent birds disgorge the 

 food into the crop of their little ones, and do not merely place it in the beak as thofta 

 birds do lliat feed their young on caterpillars and other insects. — Translator. 



t This is a mistake. See Architecture of Birds, p. 268. 



