326 OUR NATIVE SONGSTERS. 



"With mantle grey and jet-like head, 

 And flaming breast of crimson red, 

 Is perch'd with hard and hawk-like beak. 

 Intent the embrj'o food to seek ; 

 Nor ceases from his pleasing toil 

 The orchard's budding hope to spoil. 

 Unless with quick and timid glance 

 Of his dark eye your dread advance 

 He notice, and your search evade, 

 Hid in the thicket's pathless shade." 



The shyness of the bullfinch renders it little 

 seen, and it would often escape notice, but for the 

 soft plaintive whistle with which it calls its com- 

 panions, or the low short twitter which it makes 

 while feeding. Yet it is a common bird in the 

 wooded districts of our land, coming also into 

 orcliards and gardens. It is a widely spread species, 

 and frequent in most of the northern countries of 

 Europe, only occurring in Southern Europe as a 

 bird of passage. It is especially common in the 

 mountainous forests of Germany. With us it 

 resides all the year. 



The male and female bullfinches generally keep 

 together during vrinter, and may be seen at no 

 great distance from each other, helping themselves 

 from the budding trees. Their motions are some- 

 what less rapid than those of most of our small 



