262 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Tyne, and kept some years afterwards in a cage; 

 its song, though not so loud as that of the Canary, 

 was pleasing and sweetly varied; it imitated the 

 notes of other birds, even to the chirping of the 

 Sparrow; it was familiar, docile, and cheerful, and 

 began its song early in the morning. Like the 

 Goldfinch, the Siskin may easily be taught to 

 draw up its little bucket with water and food. The 

 latter consists chiefly of seeds ; it drinks frequently, 

 and seems fond of throwing water over its feathers. 

 It breeds freely with the Canary. When the 

 Siskin is paired with the hen Canary, he is 

 assiduous in his attention to his mate, carrying 

 materials for the nest, and arranging them; and, 

 during the time of incubation, regularly supplying 

 the female with food. 



These birds are common in various parts, chiefly 

 of the north of Europe; in most places they are 

 migratory, but do not seem to observe regular 

 periods, as they are sometimes seen in large, and 

 at other times in very small numbers. Buffon 

 observes that those immense flights happen only 

 once in the course of three or four years. They 

 conceal , their nest with much art. Kramer says, 

 that in the forests bordering on the Danube, 

 thousands of young Siskins are frequently found, 

 which have not dropt their first feathers, and yet 

 it is rare to meet with a nest. They are not 

 known to breed in this island, nor is it said from 

 whence they come over to us. In some parts of 

 the south it is called the Barley-bird, being seen 

 about that seed time; and in the neighbourhood of 

 London it is known by the name of the Aberdevine. 



