THE FINCH FAMILY. 75 



for intelligence and liveliness was not outdone by 

 any of the others. Perhaps it is these early recol- 

 lections that make me feel kindly disposed to the 

 greenfinch whenever I see him or hear his well- 

 known call for a breeze. If he is only wise enough 

 to remain away from the garden, there are but few 

 who will molest him. Fashion changes, and now- 

 adays not many would keep the greenfinch as a 

 cage -bird. Setting on one side the fact that he, 

 like others of his tribe, occasionally falls a victim 

 to the sparrow-hawk or the kestrel, he has, I think, 

 less to complain of than any of the finches. 



A description of the bullfinch is hardly needed, 

 so well is this beautiful bird with its brilliant scarlet 

 breast known to dwellers both in country and town. 

 The black, red, grey, and white tints of his plumage, 

 peculiarly pure and bright in his wild state, make 

 him conspicuous as he flits about from one side of 

 the hedge to the other, his soft and slightly mourn- 

 ful pipe betraying his presence in the distance. 

 Beautiful as the strains from some wood fairy's 

 flute might be is the soft sweet little song, all 

 his own, with which the bullfinch cheers his mate 

 as she sits on her nest. At such times he shows 



