812 INSESSORES. CARDUELIS. Goldfinch. 



GOLDFINCH. 



Carduelis elegans, Steph. 

 PLATE LV. Figs. 8, 9. 



Fringilla Carduelis, Linn. Syst. 1 .p. 118. 7 Gmel Syst. 1. p. 903. sp. 7 



Lath. Ind. Ornith. v. 1. p. 449 Raii Syn. p. 89. A. 1 — Will. p. 189. 



—Briss. 3. p. 53. 1. 

 Le Chardonneret, Buff. Ois. v. 4. p. 187- t. 10 — Id. PL Enl. 4. f. 1. 

 Gros-bec Chardonneret, Temm. Man. d'Oniith. v. 1. p. 376. 

 Distel Zeisig, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 1. p. 200 Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 



V. 1. p. 167 Frisch. t. 1. f. 2. A, B. 



Goldfinch, or Thistlefinch, Br. Zool. 1. No. 124 — Arct. Zool. 2. p. 283. H. 



— Will. (Ang.) p. 246. t. 46 Albin. 1. t. 64 Lath. Syn. 3. p. 281. 4 



Lewin'sBr. Birds, 2. t. 81 Mont. Ornith. Diet. 1 Wale. Syn. 2. t. 219. 



— Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 12 Bewick's Br. Birds, p. t. 165 — Shaw's Zool. 



V. 9. p. 460. bad copy from Bewick. 



Provincial — Gold-Spink. 



This beautiful finch is common in all but the mountainous 

 parts of Britain. Being in high estimation, on account both 

 of its plumage and song, ( which is sweet in tone, and varied 

 in delivery), it is very frequently kept in a state of confine- 

 ment, and possessing great docility, soon becomes attached to 

 its owner, and may be taught a variety of amusing perform- 

 ances, such as feigning itself to be dead, letting off fire- works, 

 &c. In its natural state, it breeds in gardens, orchards and 

 plantations, and will often select an evergreen for the site of 

 Nest, &c. its nest ; which displays much elegance of workmanship, be- 

 ing outwardly formed of lichens, moss, and dry grass inter- 

 woven with wool, and very warmly lined with a mixture of 

 the last-named substance, hair, and the seed-down of the wil- 

 low or thistle. This contains four or five eggs, of a bluish- 

 white, scantily marked with orange-brown spots towards the 

 larger end. 



In confinement, it readily pairs and breeds with the Cana- 

 ry Finch, The produce are mules, and are called by the 

 bird-fanciers Canary Goldfinches. 



This species is subject to considerable varieties of plu- 



