THE BULLFINCH. 319 



In tlie course of April and May, we may liear 

 in our woodlands or gardens or shrubberies, the low 

 piping notes of the Bullfinch* {Pyrrhula vulgaris). 

 The song is not a very melodious one, neither can 

 it be heard at any great distance ; yet tlie bird 

 must have a musical ear, and a good memory. No 

 bird has so great a facility as this for learning 

 music, and it can be taught to whistle to the tunes 

 of a German flute, and will often add to them a 

 few little graces from its natural song. Some 

 bullfinches can be trained to sing two or three 

 different airs, never at all mingling one with the 

 other; but much skill and patience are requisite 

 in thus educating it. A bird so accomplished is 

 very expensive, and as much as four or five pounds 

 is sometimes given for a well-trained bullfinch. At 

 Hesse and Fulda, little schools are formed for the 

 purpose of teaching the birds, and these supply 

 Germany, Holland, and England, with these 



* The Bullfinch is about six inches in length. Crown of the 

 head deep black ; neck, shoulders, and back bluish-grey ; rump 

 white ; wings and tail black, the former crossed by a broad band 

 of white ; beak, face, and chin black ; sides of the neck, throat, 

 breast, and belly brick-red; lower parts white; feet purplish- 

 brown. The colours of the female are as usual less pure and 

 distinct. 



