NATURE'S CAROL SINGERS. 



and gardens ; sometimes in evergreens 

 or on the bough of a sycamore or chest- 

 nut tree, and occasionally in a thick 

 hedgerow. It is composed of rootlets, 

 moss, dry grass, wool, spiders' webs, and 

 lichens on the outside, and has an inner 

 lining of vegetable down, hairs, and soft 

 feathers. It is a neat and beautiful 

 structure. 



The eggs number from four to six, 

 and are greyish- or greenish-white, spotted 

 and streaked with light purplish- and 

 reddish-brown and grey. 



Although some people do not rank the 

 Goldfinch very highly as a feathered 

 vocalist, its twittering song is full of 

 melody and sweetness, and together with 

 its striking beauty and lively manners 

 endear it to the heart of every lover of 

 the country and its sights and sounds. 



Bechstein says, "Its agreeable song, 

 which is only discontinued during moult- 

 ing, is a mixture of tones and harmonies 

 more or less dwelt upon." 



It sings both when perched and upon 

 the wing. Instances are upon record of 

 young Goldfinches taken from the nest 

 when only two or three days old, re- 

 producing when they grew up not the 

 music of their own kind, but the songs 

 1 80 



