THE BULLFINCH. 57 



THE BULLFINCH. 



Tins bird is the favorite of the entire race of trained birds, and is beloved alike 

 for his gentle manners and great accomplishments. Indeed, even when m his wild 

 state, he appears more docile than his brothers of the forest. Volumes have been 

 written about his proficiency in music, and his clever tricks when trained. He is 

 known throughout the world of bird-lovers as the most delightful and most favored 

 of petted birds. His appearance is striking, and the various pretty colors of his 

 body and his well-rounded figure make him very attractive. 



Bullfinches vary greatly in size. The German Bullfinch, which is probably the 

 best known, is about seven inches in length ; the beak is one-half inch in length, 

 well rounded, black, thick, and short ; the feet are very slender and black ; the top 

 of the head, the circle around the beak, the chin, and upper part of the throat, 

 form a beautiful hood of shining, velvety black ; the upper part of the throat, 

 shoulders, and back are a handsome shade of steel gray ; and the rump is white ; 

 the breast and upper part of the belly vary from a beautiful crimson to a handsome 

 shade of bright chestnut. All the colors darken as the bird grows older. The 

 larger wing-feathers are a brilliant black, tipped with reddish gray ; and the centre 

 feathers are ashen gray. The tail is forked, and blue black in color. This entire 

 combination of colors is charmingly blended, and the whole coat shines with the 

 lustre of silk. The body-feathers just below the wings have a fluffy or fringed 

 look, which is a handsome addition to the bird's appearance. The Bullfinch is 

 somewhat thick in proportion to his length ; and while the slender elegance is lack- 

 ing in his shape which is so much admired in some birds, his chubby, cunning ap- 

 pearance is such as to make him a favorite at once. The female Bullfinch is easily 

 distinguished from the male, as she is smaller ; and there is, as well, a marked 

 difference in the color. The breast and belly in the female are of a dun or dusky 

 gray color, and the back is a darker shade of the same color. 



There are other rare varieties of the Bullfinch ; although I think the appearance 

 is due to cross-breeding, when in a wild state, with some other variety of bird, or 

 from unnatural confinement, and improper feeding when in captivity. 



The Gray Bullfinch is grajnsh white throughout, with a few dark spots on the 

 body or back. 



The Black Bullfinch varies in color from coal black to a dusky tinge throughout 

 the body : the Black Bullfinches are usually females. This color, it is said, is due 

 to hanging the bird in a dark place when young, or to feeding too much hemp- 

 seed : although the first theory does not seem to be correct, from the fact that the 

 trained Bullfinches are always brought up in darkened cages or boxes while going 



