THE GOLDFINCH. 



Proper meat Docility. 



taken from the nest before they are pretty well 

 feathered; when, for their meat, they should 

 have white bread soaked in clear water, strained, 

 and then boiled with a little milk, till it is as 

 thick as hasty pudding, adding to it a little flour 

 of canary-seed; with this meat they should be 

 fed every two hours, or oftener, but little at a 

 time, about sun-rising, till sun-setting; they 

 should have fresh victuals every day, or every 

 other day at farthest: in about a month's time 

 they may be brought by degrees to feed on ca- 

 nary-seed ; they will, it is true, feed on the hemp- 

 seed, but it is not near so good for them as the 

 former. 



If a young goldfinch.be brought up under the 

 canary-bird, the wood-lark, or any other fine 

 singing bird, he will take their song very readily. 



These birds are taken almost at any time of 

 the year, either with lime-twigs, or the clap-net, 

 in great numbers during the young flight in 

 June, July, or August ; but the best time for 

 catching them is about Michaelmas. They fre- 

 quent the fields where the thistle, and wild seeds 

 grow; they are easily caught, being of a gentle 

 and familiar nature, and will both feed and sing 

 almost immediately. Wben caught, they are 

 readily tamed, and are remarkable for their doci- 

 lity and the attention they pay to instruction. It 

 requires very little trouble to teach them to per- 

 form several movements with accuracy; to fire a 

 cracker, or, as before noticed, to draw up cups 



