CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 2. PASSERES. 107 



This bird, as well as linnets and canaries, has been taught to perform various i:i<'-enious tricks • 

 it is common throughout Europe. 



The Siskin, C. spinus, is four and a half inches long; greenish-olive above, streaked with 

 dusky black; beneath yellowish-green; feeds upon seeds. It is an attractive bird in regard both 

 to its plumage and its song, the latter being generally little more than a continuous chirrup, re- 

 sembling the noise made by a stocking-loom, a peculiarity which renders it a favorite with stock- 

 ing-weavers. It imitates the songs of tits, larks, and chaffinches, but does not seem able to learn 

 to whistle a tune. It sings throughout the year, except during the moulting season, and by its 

 continual twittering invites all the birds in the aviary to sing. When taken, it feels the loss of 

 freedom so little as to eat as soon as put into the cage, and on the second day to manifest no sio-n 

 of alarm if any one approaches. It may be taught to draw water, and many tricks of a similar 

 character ; and in winter may be trained to come and go, by placing the cage outside the window, 

 and strewing poppy and hemp-seed before the open door. It generally comes back, and brino-s 

 several comrades with it. It breeds in confinement, and paired with canaries produces a hybrid 

 valued for its song. The Siskin is a northern European bird, migrating to the south in winter, 

 and returning in the spring. 



The Canary-Bird or Canary-Finch — FringUla Canariu of Bechstein — is a native of 

 the Canary Islands, where it breeds on the banks of rivulets. It is said to have been intro- 

 duced from thence into Europe in the sixteenth century by a ship bound for LcQ-liorn, and 

 which foundered near the island of Elba. Being here set at Hberty, they bred on this island ; 

 from thence they were taken to Italy, and in the course of years spread over Europe. The orig- 

 inal color of the bird was gray, inclining to green on the lower parts of the body, but this has 

 undergone a complete alteration from domestication and change of climate. The length of this 

 bird is five inches; mules have been obtained by breeding with the goldfinch, siskin, green-finch 

 serin-finch, linnet, lesser redpole, and citril-finch, and these hybrids propagate their kind. 



The canary has always been a favorite cage bird, not only on account of the beauty of its plu- 

 mage and the excellence of its song, but also for its docility, aftectionate disposition, and the readi- 

 ness with which it breeds in confinement. Another source of gratification connected with this 

 bird is the observation of its peculiarities of disposition. Some are melancholy, others lively ; 

 some of a peaceful, others of a quarrelsome disposition ; some docile, others stupid ; some eager 

 to pair, others delighting in solitude, &c. Their chief recommendation, however, consists, beyond 

 doubt, in their loud, lively, and various song, which is continued throughout the year in some 

 cases, even in the moulting seasons. Some, which are very much esteemed, will sing even at 

 night, if a light be placed near their cage ; a peculiarity which, though natural in some, is in 

 most the result of long training. The singers of the Tyrol, so called from the country where they 

 are caught, which imitate the nightingale's song, are considered to hold the first rank; and next 

 to these the English canaries, which have acquired the warbling of the wood-lark. In Thnringia 

 those are most esteemed which, instead of a sonorous song of their own, ha\e been taught to descend 

 through the notes of an octave in a clear silvery tone, occasionally introducing a trumpet-like song. 



Butfon contrasts the canary and nightingale as follows: "If the latter is the enchantress of the 

 woods, the former is the musician of the chamber. The first owes all to nature ; the second de- 

 rives something from our arts. "With less strength of organ, less compass of voice, and less vari- 

 ety of note, the canary-bird has a better ear, greater facility of imitation, and more memory ; and 

 as the diff'erence of genius, especially among the lower animals, depends in a great measure on 

 the difference that exists among them with regard to the perfection of their senses, the canary- 

 bird, whose organ of Jiearing is moi-e attentive, and more susceptible of receiving and retaining 

 foreign impressions, becomes accordingly more social, more tame, and more familiar. It is caj)- 

 able of gratitude, and even of attachment ; its caresses are endearing, its little humors are inno- 

 cent, and its anger neither hurts nor offends. Its education is easy; we rear it with pleasure, 

 because we are able to instruct it; it leaves the melody of its natural note to listen to the har- 

 mony of our voices and instruments; it applauds, it accompanies us, and repays the pleasure it 

 receives with interest. The nightingale, more proud of its talent, seems willing to preserve it in 

 all its purity ; at least, it appears very little to value ours ; and it is with the greatest difficulty 



