46 THE LI>>ET AND THE SlSKl.X 



song for tlieir Ijcnefll. These music lessons generally take 

 place in tiic evening. Sometimes the bird-catcher, in 

 order to excite the linnets to sing, takes them on his finger 

 and hold?^ them np in front of a unirror, where they imagine 

 seeing a hiid of iheii- own species. A\'hile the master is 

 whistling his dilty, they ihink that they hear their un- 

 known companion ; this illusion makes them giddy, and 

 finally they all join in the chorus. It is a sad song of 

 captivity without savour oi' peifunie, and is no more like 

 the pietty song of the wild linnet than the sicklv lily of 

 the valley raised in a hothouse can be compared to the 

 vigorous balmy lilv of the woods! 



One would think that the slim and livelv siskin with 

 its olive-green plumage tinted with lemon coloui'. born in 

 libeilv and fond of long travels, would have a more inde- 

 |)en(lent character than the linnet. But this is a mere 

 illusion. The siskin is like certain gypsies whose vagrant 

 tastes do not exclude a certain fondness for servility. 

 Although it bears a slight resemblance to the titmouse on 

 account of its skill in climbing and in picking seed, yet 

 it has not the undisciplined dis[)osition of that valiant 

 little bird. 



It is said that in the free state they build their nests 

 on the islands of the Rhine, in the A'osges mountains, 

 in Ilungaria, especially in woodv, mountainous regions ; 

 but it is very difficult to find these nests. The birds hide 

 them so skilfully in a litter of verdure, that they are said 



