THE BULLFINCH. 183 



Food. It feeds, when wild, on the seeds of the pine, fir, 

 ash, maple, beech, and all kinds of berries, as well as on the 

 buds of the red beech, the various kinds of maple, oaks, and 

 pears. It will also eat linseed, millet, rape, nettle, and grass 

 seed. 



In confinement, those allowed to run about, may be fed with 

 the usual universal paste, and a little rape seed, by way of 

 variety. Those which are kept in a cage, however, must have 

 rape and hemp seed, with occasionally a little plain biscuit, Rape 

 seed soaked in water, without any hemp seed, increases their 

 longevity, as the latter is too heating, and often ends by making 

 them blind, or inducing decline. They occasionally require a 

 little green food also ; as for instance, a few water- cresses, a 

 piece of apple, some savin, service berries, or a lettuce. 



Breeding. The Bullfinch is an exceedingly affectionate bird; 

 very averse, both when wild and confined, to being separated 

 from his mate ; and when with her, continually caressing and 

 calling to her. The female frequently lays without contact 

 with the male ; and if the requisite aid be afforded, will sit 

 like the Canary, though the eggs are rarely fruitful. In 

 a wild state the Bullfinch breeds twice a year; generally 

 concealing its nest as much as possible in fir-trees or hedges. 

 The nest is badly built of twigs, and lined with moss. The 

 female lays from two to six eggs, of a blueish white, with 

 a circle of violet and brown spots at the large end. The 

 young birds are hatched in a fortnight. If they are to be 

 taught to whistle, they must be taken out of the nest when 

 half fledged, i. e. when twelve to fourteen days old, and fed on 

 soaked rape seed, mixed with wheaten bread, or buckwheat 

 meal softened in milk. The prevailing colour of their plumage 

 is a dirty dark ash colour, with dark brown wings and tail. 

 The males may be distinguished by a slight red tinge upon 

 their breast, and may even be selected from the nest, as the 

 females, though they learn to whistle, are neither so beautiful 

 or so docile. They do not begin to whistle till they are able 

 to feed themselves ; but must nevertheless be whistled to, as 

 soon as taken, as in this case the lesson is more deeply and 

 readily impressed upon their memory. It is also necessary to 

 remark, that, as is the case with Parrots, they are most at- 

 tentive, and most capable of learning, immediately after they 

 have been fed. The course of instruction must last at least 



