THE BULFINCH. 319 



Docility Personal attachment. 



ill-directed, it acquires harsh strains. A friend 

 of the Comte de Buffon saw one that had never 

 heard any person whistle but carters; and it 

 whistled like them, with the same strength and 

 coarseness. The bulfinch also learns easily to 

 articulate words and sentences ; and utters them 

 with so tender an accent, as to convey notions 

 of sensibility. 



This bird is, besides, susceptible of personal 

 attachment, which is often strong and durable. 

 Some have been known, after escaping and living 

 a whole year in the woods, to recognize the voice 

 of their mistress, and return to forsake her no 

 more. Others have died of melancholy, on being 

 removed from the first object of their attach- 

 ment. They will also remember injuries receiv- 

 ed : a bulfinch that had been thrown to the 

 ground in its cage by some of the rabble, though 

 it did not appear much affected at the time, fell 

 into convulsions ever after at the sight of any 

 mean-looking person, and expired in one of these 

 fits eight months after its first accident. 



The bulfinch is a bird much esteemed in Eng- 

 land for beauty and singing; for in the former 

 he equals most, and in the latter, when well 

 taught, excels all other birds of his size. 



These birds must not be taken too young; they 

 should be at least twelve days old ; at first they 

 must be fed the same as theyoung linnet,chaffi nch, 

 &,c. with bread, milk, and rape-seed, made into a 

 paste; and, when grown up, with rape and canary- 

 seed,, three-fourths rape,, and one-fourth canary. 



