THE GOLDFINCH:. 265 



the strength and beauty of its structure, in apple and pear 

 trees. It is semi-spherical, and composed of moss, lichens, 

 and fine root fibres, finely woven together, and lined with 

 wool, hair, and thistle-down. The female lays once a year 

 five or six pale sea-green eggs, spotted with light red, and 

 often surrounded at the thick end with a circle of small 

 blackish stripes. The young, which before the first moulting 

 are grey on the head, and are hence called Greyheads by the 

 birdsellers, are fed from the crop. The males may at a very 

 early period be distinguished by a narrow white ring round 

 the beak. When taken from the nest, they may be reared on 

 poppy seed, and bread soaked in milk or water. The song 

 which they imitate with the greatest ease and perfection is 

 that of the Canary, with which bird they pair, and produce 

 bastards, which in their turn are prolific. Of the two birds, 

 the Goldfinch should always be the male, as, especially when 

 young, it is exceedingly ardent, and will often pair with two 

 Canaries, and rear a double brood. The bastards are in 

 general not very handsome birds, though they have been 

 occasionally produced with a j ellow body and the head of the 

 Goldfinch, but are distinguished by the excellence of their 

 song. When, as is often the case, Canaries form negligent 

 parents, and do not persevere in sitting, it is a good plan to 

 put the eggs, if possible, in a Goldfinch's nest. They will be 

 hatched and treated like the other nestlings, and when old 

 enough to feed themselves, may be transferred to a cage. 



Diseases. The disorder to which Goldfinches are most liable 

 is epilepsy. Sore and swollen eyes, to which they are also 

 subject, may be cured by an application of unsalted butter. 

 Stupor and giddiness are occasionally produced by the im- 

 moderate use of hemp seed, and may be cured by the sub- 

 stitution of soaked lettuce and thistle-down. In general, it will 

 conduce to their health, if they be allowed, now and then, to 

 pull the seeds from a thistle head. When very old, they 

 become blind, and lose the beautiful red and yellow hue of 

 their head and wings. Though not, generally speaking, a 

 healthy bird, instances have been known of their living from 

 sixteen to twenty-four years. 



Mode of Talcing. In spring the Goldfinch may be lured by 

 a decoy-bird to the decoy bush, or the Chaffinch -trap, espe- 

 cially if baited with thistle-top : though, from the cautious 



