THE SISKIN. 271 



generally lays five or six eggs, of a greyish white, thickly 

 spotted, especially at the large end, with purple brown. 

 There are two broods in a year ; and the males increase in 

 beauty till after their fourth moulting. 



Bastards between the Canary Bird and Siskin are often pro- 

 duced, which resemble both the parents, and are very hand- 

 some birds, especially if the offspring of a yellow Canary. The 

 experiment of pairing is more certain of success though the 

 young are not so beautiful if a Green Canary, which itself 

 seems to have some affinity with the Siskin, be selected for 

 the purpose. 



Diseases. A very fatal disease, which often attacks the 

 Siskin, is epilepsy. Its term of life, in confinement, is from 

 eight to twelve years. 



Mode of Taking. In autumn and winter, the Siskins, by 

 help of a decoy bird of their own species, may be taken in 

 great numbers in the barn-floor trap. In spring they are 

 easily taken by the decoy bush, and may be generally de- 

 scribed as by no means shy. Persons who live near a brook 

 shaded by alders, have caught them by merely putting a Sis- 

 kin out of the window, and a few limed twigs near the cage ; 

 and I have myself secured them in a cage, baited with hemp 

 and poppy seed, and provided with a door like that described 

 under the head Goldfinch. To this they were lured by a 

 Siskin inside the room ; and when in the cage, I closed the 

 door by means of the connecting thread. They may also be 

 taken by marking the place where they go to drink at noon, 

 and surrounding it judiciously with limed twigs. 



Their call, which they utter frequently and loudly, is Dillahl 



Attractive Qualities. The Siskin is an attractive bird, in 

 regard both to its plumage and its song ; the latter being gene- 

 rally little more than a continuous chirrup, resembling the noise 

 made by a stocking-loom, a peculiarity which renders it a favour- 

 ite with stocking -weavers. It imitates the songs of other birds, 

 for example, 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 twit- 

 tering, 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 sign 



