THE LINNET. C!l? 



Proper food Docility How taken. 



sour meat is very fatal to all kinds of birds; when 

 they begin to pick about their meat, and feed 

 themselves, set scalded rape-seed in their cage, 

 to wean them from the bread and milk as soon 

 as possible ; because sometimes feeding too long 

 upon soft food will make them rotten. It will v 

 be a month or six weeks before they will be able 

 to crack their seeds, and live entirely upon hard 

 meat; such as rape and canary-seed, which is 

 the best food they can have. They are particu- 

 larly fond of linseed, from which, Bewick says, 

 they derive their name. 



Linnets are easily taught to whistle, or to imi- 

 tate other birds ; and when it is intended they 

 should be thus instructed, they should have their 

 lessons at the times they are fed, for they will 

 learn very much before they can crack hard 

 seeds ; or hang them under any bird you have a 

 mind they should learn his song ; for these birds, 

 when young, are exceedingly docile, and will 

 learn any song or tune, as already observed. 



Linnets are frequently found in flocks; they 

 are taken with clap-nets, in June, July, and Au- 

 gust, and likewise flight-birds about Michaelmas 

 in great plenty, by laying the nets near a small 

 purling stream, where they come to drink; and 

 as when thus caught they soon become familiar, 

 it is scarcely worth the trouble of bringing them 

 up from the nest. 



Navarctti, in his account of China, takes no- 

 tice of a bird like the linnet, which the natives 



VOL. III. NO, XX. 2 E 



