42 GOLDFINCH DISEASES. 



ensue ; and the bird mopes, and soon dies. Not so 

 with the goldfinch : immediately after his capture he 

 commences to feed on maw-seed, mixed equal parts 

 with hemp, rape, and canary, frisk about the cage, 

 and dress his plumage, without manifesting the least 

 apparent regret for the loss of companions or liberty. 

 His beauty, melody, and speedy reconciliation to 

 confinement, render him a desirable companion ; and 

 he is captured to cheer us with his manners and 

 voice in airs and regions very different from his 

 native thistly downs and apple-blossom bowers. 



There are many varieties of the goldfinch, shown 

 by the difference in markings or colors of the 

 plumage. The highest prized of these varieties are 

 the scarlet-headed, which has the entire head colored 

 in rich scarlet or crimson : there are no other mark- 

 ings to mar the brilliancy of color on the head. 

 This is a very rare and beautiful variety. The 

 white-breasted Cheveral, or King Goldfinch, has 

 a pure white breast, and clear white ring around the 

 neck. This variety is highly prized as a breeder of 

 white or handsomely marked goldfinch-canary hybrids. 

 The white-legged variety is esteemed for the readi- 

 ness with which he mates with the female canary. 

 The Black Goldfinch is a variety which is obtained 

 by keeping the bird in close confinement in a dark- 

 ened room. The goldfinch hybrids are in some cases 

 very beautiful birds, and exhibit a wonderful variety 

 of markings and color. The pure white is the high- 

 est prized, and the colors range from that of the 

 above specimen to the very dark, and are varied by 



