5 °



tried him out of doors ; but in my bird-room, where the tempera¬

ture has fallen as low as 45 degrees, he has never shown any

signs of discomfort; and during the whole time I have had him,

he has never ailed in the least. I hear that Mr. Erskine Allon

has some half-dozen of this species in his bird-room, and that

his experience agrees witli mine as to their hardiness. My bird

moults regularly every Autumn without any trouble ; he is,

however, not very fond of bathing, so that now and again I have

to spray him.


His food is very simple, consisting principally of canary

and rape seed, the latter being very much to his liking; he

also has, now and then, some linseed and any other fancy seeds

for a change.


This Siskin is by no means common, as I have only

seen two besides mine: one at the last Palace Show, where

he was entered in the wrong class, and the other at the

last Aquarium Show, where, as far as I remember, he was

noticed by the judge. This little bird, I think, is very desirable

on account of his pretty though dark plumage, pleasing ways,


and lively song. -


VI.—THE SISKIN.


Chrysomitris spimis, Einn.


By Thomas Marshall.


This lively and altogether delightful little member of the

Fringillidtz family is so truly a cosmopolitan in its habits that a

list of the places where it is not to be found would probably be

the easiest method of dealing with its habitat, but when I say

that its proper home appears to be in the north of Europe, I

think that for present purposes I shall have said all that need be

said on that point. I will venture to add, however, that it

is more common in England than is generally supposed. A

bird-dealer acquaintance of mine, who gets consignments of

Kinnets from various parts of the Midlands, frequently has a

few Siskins amongst them.


Speaking of Siskins to a bird-catcher (aviculture, like

poverty, brings us into contadl with queer folk) he told me that

he had been catching, off and on, for forty years, and had in his

time taken as many as seven dozen Siskins “ at a pull,” but then

that only occurred in one of their flight years, because, he’d have

me to know, that Siskins only visit England in flocks at intervals

of seven years ! Truly we live and learn.


As a cage-bird, the Siskin is much more desirable than

many birds generally included under that head. It takes kindly



