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CHAPTER XXXVII. 



THE FINCHES. 



The Goldfinch, from various causes, is unfortunately much scarcer now than formerly. No 

 doubt the many demands made for caging this very handsome and sweet songster have tended to 

 lessen its numbers, for besides almost rivalling tropical birds in the beauty and variety of its 

 plumage, the Goldfinch is possessed of an exceedingly sweet song, combining a clear metallic ring 

 with modulated power, much softer and sweeter than the Canary's, and linked together by a 

 continual twittering, making the song last for a long time without intermission. " Goldie " is also 

 very sagacious, and can be taught many tricks almost without coercion, such as drawing up its 

 water from a well and opening its seed-box. Properly constructed cages with this apparatus are 

 easily procurable, and the bird will soon understand the management of the well chain, pulling it 

 up with its beak, and adroitly holding it with its feet. 



As may be seen upon reference to the Plate, the Goldfinch is of particularly striking plumage, 

 the red feathers on the face and the bright golden bars across the wings being its prominent 

 distinctions. The difference between the sexes is very difficult to distinguish ; in the female the 

 feathers immediately over the beak are lighter, the black feathers on the back of the head are 

 edged with brownish-grey, as are also the black feathers on the shoulder, whilst the head is 

 invariably smaller, and the eye not so bright and bold. 



When wild the Goldfinch is of great service to the gardener and farmer, as in spring it feeds 

 almost entirely upon the seeds of the groundsel and dandelion, which are then the favourite food, 

 and the fluff" from whose seeds forms the lining to its nest. In the summer, when the long 

 thistles have run to seed, Goldie may be seen hanging to the thistle heads, and with its long beak 

 extracting the seeds. The red feathers on its head are particularly short and strong to form a 

 protection against the prickly thistles. In the autumn and winter the seeds of the thistle and 

 button-weed form its staple food. It is very desirable that these seeds should be given to the 

 bird at their proper season, as they greatly add to the bird's song and keep it in good health. It 

 also greatly enjoys a piece of watercress or lettuce. 



The nest is very ingenious and exceedingly pretty, being composed principally of moss, 

 lined with wool and the down from the thistle, groundsel, and dandelion seeds, with an outside 

 covering of lichen ; the eggs are generally from five to six in number. If intended to rear from 

 the nest, the young should be taken when about ten days old, and fed upon soaked stale crust of 

 bread, soaked rape and hemp-seed crushed, maw-seed, and finely-chopped hard-boiled egg ; but it 

 is better to have them taken when adult, as they very soon become tame. Those taken during the 

 months of September and October are preferable. 



From its extreme docility the Goldfinch is a great favourite in the cage. The bird is of a 

 restless disposition, continually hopping about, clinging to the wires, and rattling its beak against 

 them as if in order to escape. When in the aviary it sometimes acts in a dominant manner, 

 driving the other birds from the food ; but it seldom fights, although often showing ill-temper. 

 Goldfinches will breed in the aviary or breeding-cage ; they will also breed with Canaries. They 



