66 GRAMINIVOE^E. 



depths of the southern forests at that time ; but with us, 

 their history in a state of nature is very imperfect. They are 

 chiefly known as cage-birds, and as such they are esteemed 

 for their beauty, their docility, their healthiness, their song, 

 and the readiness with which they produce a mixed breed, 

 either way, with the canary-finches. Their song is not un- 

 pleasant ; it bears some resemblance to that of the canary, 

 but it is less powerful.* 



THE MOUNTAIN-FINCH (Fringilla montifringilla.) 



Like the siskin, the mountain-finch is irregular both in the 

 times of its appearance and in its numbers. It is, however, 

 much more frequently seen than the siskin, and resorts to 

 more parts of the country. 



As the snow-bunting has, in some stages of its plumage, 

 been called the mountain-finch, that has occasioned a little 

 confusion between it and the species under consideration; 

 but the two are so distinct in all their characters, that the 

 one cannot be mistaken for the other. The proper mountain- 

 finch is sometimes called " the branding." 



It is not quite so large as the snow-bunting ; but it is a 

 stout-made bird, which would lead one to conclude that, 

 though it may, as is reported, nestle in the pine-trees, it is 

 in its manner of feeding more a bird of the open air than of 

 the forest. While in this country its habits correspond, as it 

 does not resort so much to the trees and copses, and feed on 

 those buds, as the siskin ; but keeps more to the open fields, 

 with the chaffinches and yellow buntings, though, like the 

 chaffinches, they frequently alight in trees, and consume the 



* The siskin is known to breed in some of the pine woods in the 

 Highlands of Scotland; the nest is placed at a great elevation on the 

 topmost branches, and is not accessible without risk and difficulty. This 

 bird is common in Sweden, Norway, and the north ot' (u-nnaiiy. We. 

 have kept it in captivity, but have never heard it sing. M. 



