292 OUR NATIVE SONGSTERS. 



whose early song in field, or wood, or garden-hedge 

 has so often delighted us ; and which, beginning 

 that song early in February, sings it till after 

 Midsummer. When this bird is in captivity, it 

 soon leams to imitate the songs of other birds, 

 and may even be taught to articulate some words. 

 On some parts of the continent, where the song is 

 prized, the cruel practice is used of depriving it 

 of its sight to improve its music. The poor little 

 bird may sing the better, because it can no longer 

 be amused or distracted by surrounding objects; 

 but he must have a hard heart who could listen to 

 its singing with any emotion save that of sorrow 

 and pity ; for the pei-petual turning of the head of 

 the blind and helpless creature would prevent our 

 forgetting, even for a moment, the restless spirit 

 within, or the cruel act which bound that bird to 

 sorrow. 



But it is among its native boughs that we 

 love to see it framing its nest with busy care, 

 and with most tasteful skill, and of such colours as 

 to resemble the objects surrounding it ; forming it 

 of wool and moss, and adorning it with white or 

 green lichens, gathered from the time-stained tree, 

 and perhaps stealing the threads of the spider's web, 



