168 VERTEBRATA. 



it can bo taiiirlit to repeat any of our airs. T1h3 canary can speak and whistle ; the nightingale 

 despises our words as well as our song, and never fails to return to the warbling of its own wild 

 wood-notes. Its pi])e is a iiia.ster-piece of nature, wliieh human art can neither alter nor improve; 

 that of the caiiarx -l>ird is a inoihl of more pliant materials, which we can mould at pleasure. 

 This last, therefore, contributes in a much greater degree to the comforts of society ; it sings at 

 all sca.sons; it cheers us in the dullest weather; and even adds to our happiness — for it amuses 

 the youiiir, and delights the recluse; it charms the todiousness of the cloister, and exhilarates the 

 soul t)f the iiuK^cciit am! the captive." 



"'J'lie breedintr and rearing of these charming birds," saA's Bolton, "forms an amusement of 

 the most jdeasing kind, and affords a variety of scenes highly interesting to innocent minds. In 

 this country, no less than in the old German Fatherland, and amid the green valleys of the 

 Tyrol, many enthusiastic canary fanciers may be met with. There are societies in London — and 

 some of them have existed for more than a century — for promoting the breed of canaries, and 

 amateurs distinguish upward of thirty varieties : these varieties are separated into two great divi- 

 sions — the Plain and the Variegated ; the former being called Gay Birds or Gay Sjxi uyles, aud 

 the latter Fancy Birds or Mealy Birds ; those latter are esteemed the strongest, and have the 

 boldest song. Jonks or Jonquils is also a term applied to those of a pure yellow. There is also 

 a variety called the Lizard, the plumage of which is of a greenish-bronze throughout, excepting 

 the u|>]H'r part of the head, which is covered by a patch of clear yellow, and this variety is looked 

 upon as the nearest of kin to the original stock." 



The American Goldfinch, C. trisfis, is four and a half inches long; general color yellow; 

 wings and tail black, varied with white ; feeds on the seeds of the sunflower, lettuce, thistle, 

 itc; the nest is made on trees or tall bushes; eggs four to five, pure white, with reddish-brown 

 spots at the smaller end. It is found fi'om the tropics to the Fur Countries, and is a familiar bird 

 at all seasons in the United States, and is often seen about the gardens. It has the various pop- 

 ular names of Yellow-Bird^ Thistle-Bird, Lettuce-Bird, Salad-Bird, &c. Many are taken in 

 trap-cages; their song is feeble, but plaintive and pleasing; in confinement they become familiar, 

 and hence they are favorite cage birds. 



The Pine-Finch, C. pinus, four and a half inches long; varied with olive-brown and black; 

 beneath lighter shade ; feeds on the seeds of the pine, birch, thistles, &c. ; found from Florida to 

 Maine ; permanent in the Middle States. 



Other species are the C. Magellanic us, io\\m\,\\\o\\g\\ rarely, in Ohio; C. jjsaltria, ioimd in 

 Louisiana and Arkansas; C. Mexicanus, io\\\\*\ in California; C. Stanleyi, also found in Cali- 

 fornia. 



The CiTRiL-FiNCH — Fringilla citrinella of Linnfeus — is five inches long, its plumage greenish- 

 gray, tinged with ashy-gray, and blackish ; found in Southern Europe, where it is a cage bird. 



The Serin-Finch — Loxia serinus or Fringilla serinus of Linna?us ; Serin Vert of the French 

 — has often been confounded with the preceding; it is four and a half inches long; general color 

 greenish-yellow ; noted as a lively and indefatigable singer. It is migratory, and spends the 

 summer in Middle Europe ; some remain through the cold season. 



The Glossy Pinch — F. nitens of Linna?us — is four inches and a half long ; plumage blue-black, 

 or coal-black, with a gloss of steel ; found in Cayenne. 



The Brazilian Finch — F. granatina of Linna?us — is four inches long; brown above, the 

 rump blue ; beneath chestnut-color ; found in Brazil. 



The Blue-bellied Finch — F. Bengalensis of Linnaeus — is four and a half inches long ; ashy- 

 brown above; blue beneath ; found in Guiana. 



Other foreign species are the Liver-colored Finch, F. hejmtica, of Western Africa ; the Green 

 Goldfinch, F. melba, of Brazil ; and the Angola Finch, F. Angolensis, of Angola. 



Genus ERYTHROSPIZA : Erythrospiza. — This includes the Purple Finch — the American 

 Linnet of Nuttall — E. purpurea ; it is six inches long ; in full plumage, the male is rich crimson 

 above, deepest on the head and neck; the back streaked with dusky; beneath white. This is a 

 winter bird of passage, coming to us from the north in September and October, and in very 

 severe seasons proceeding, in considerable numbers, as far as the Southern States, and even to 



