280 HISTORY OF 



finch, when we know the history of the canary- 

 bird, have scarcely any peculiarities that can at- 

 tract our curiosity, or require our care. The 

 only art necessary with all those that have no 

 very fine note, is to breed them up under some 

 more pleasing harmonist. The goldfinch learns 

 a fine song from the nightingale ; and the linnet 

 and bullfinch may be taught, forgetting the wild 

 notes of nature, to whistle a long and regular 

 tune. 



CHAPTER V. 



OF THE SWALLOW, AND ITS AFFINITIES. 



AN idea of any one bird in the former classes 

 will give us some tolerable conception of the rest. 

 By knowing the linnet or the canary-bird, we 

 have some notion of the manners of the gold- 

 finch ; by exhibiting the history of the nightin- 

 gale, we see also that of the black-cap or the tit- 

 mouse. But the swallow tribe seems to be en- 

 tirely different from all the former ; different in 

 their form, different in their habits, and unlike in 

 all the particulars of their history. 



In this tribe is to be found the Goat-sucker, 

 which may be styled a nocturnal swallow : it is 

 the largest of this kind, and is known by its tail, 

 which is not forked like that of the common swal- 

 low. It begins its flight at evening, and makes a 



