a third imitated a Dutch milkman going to market with pails on

its shoulders ; a fourth mimicked a Venetian girl looking out of

a window ; a fifth appeared as a soldier and mounted guard as a

sentinel ; a sixth acted as cannoneer, and, with cap on head, fire-

lock on shoulder, and match in claw, discharged a small. cannon.

The same bird also feigned to have been wounded, and was

wheeled in a barrow, to convej^ it, as it were, to the hospital, after

which it flew away before the company. A seventh turned a

kind of windmill, and the last stood in the midst of some fire-

works, which were discharged all round it, without exhibiting

the least symptom of fear." In captivity this bird lives for a

long time on the ordinary mixed seeds, but a small amount of

hemp daily is a necessity, and, if possible, it should always have

access to some " soft food." When wild it is frequently met

with in flocks on waste ground where thistles abound, and such

food would, doubtless, be both acceptable and beneficial in

confinement.


About such a general favourite many fables and stories

naturally arise. The following we found when glancing through

a popular work on British Birds, now somewhat out of date : —

It appears that a pair of these birds built their nest on a very

slender branch, and in due course the eggs were hatched. The

young soon began to get too heavy, and the slender branch was

gradually giving way under their weight till the nestlings came

into imminent danger of being thrown out. When matters

had reached this dangerous stage, the birds were observed to

take one end of a piece of string, which had been used among

the nesting materials, and tie it round a stronger neighbouring

branch, thus saving their offspring. Another story tells how a

certain lady had a Goldfinch that never saw her go out without

making every effort in his power to quit his cage and follow her.

On her return she would be welcomed with ever}^ mark of

extreme delight, and as soon as she approached a thousand little

actions showed his pleasure and satisfaction. If she presented

her finger, he would caress it for a long time, uttering a low,

joyous murmvir. This attachment was so exclusive that if his

mistress substituted another person's finger for her own he would

peck it sharply, whilst one of his mistress', placed between two

of a stranger's, would be at once recognised and caressed

accordingl}'.


The belief in the strong feelings of attachment of this

Species is widespread, and we will conclude this article by

quoting a few lines from Cowper on the subject.



