GROSSBEAKS. 67 



bright eye down towards you, which seems to 

 say, " Let me alone, I am doing very well, don't 

 interrupt me ;" while he is tearing the cones to 

 pieces, and dexterously nipping the seeds off the 

 scales, making them fly, like a little cloud, all 

 around him ; while his beautiful red and yellow 

 plumage, contrasted with the lovely evergreen on 

 which he is perched, and the white underground, 

 cannot but excite your admiration ; and you will 

 gaze on him with delight, as I have often done. 

 This bird is easily caught, and very soon tamed. 

 It may be kept in a cage, and sings a very sweet 

 note. It visits the North of Europe, also. When 

 kept some time in a cage, it is said to sing in the 

 night. 



FOOD. It is a hardy bird, and will live upon 

 almost any kind of seeds. It may be kept on 

 Canary, and a little hemp seed, gravel, and water 

 to wash. 



CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SEXES. The male has 

 the head, neck, breast, and rump, of a bright 

 vermilion. The back and wings are of a black- 

 ish brown. The female is of a grayish green 

 color. These birds, like all northern birds, are 

 subject to changes of color ; the red changing to 

 yellow, and the yellow to brown. 



