ORDER PASSERES. 269 



France about the time of the vintage, then proceed farther 

 south, and reappear when the trees are in flower ; but in sum- 

 mer they are not seen. In all probability they then voyage 

 northwards, or return into thick forests on the lofty mountains. 

 This is affirmed by Sonnini in his edition of Buffon^s Natural 

 History. " I know," says he, " to a certainty, that the siskins, 

 nestle on the highest mountains of the Vosges, in Lorraine, 

 and particularly on that one which is called the Donon ; they 

 pass into the plain in spring, and afterwards return to this 

 chain of mountains in like manner as they do in Switzerland, 

 and Franche-Comte. They descend after the hatching in 

 September and October."" The individuals which nestle in 

 the north do so on the tops of pines and fir-trees ; the brood 

 is four or five eggs, of a greyish white, spotted with red. 



The siskins, in their habits, have very considerable relations 

 with the linnet : they give a preference to the seeds of the. 

 alder-tree ; they often dispute with the goldfinches for the 

 seed of the thistle. Hempseed is for them an aliment of 

 choice ; but they appear, especially in captivity, to be greater 

 consumers of it than they really are, from a habit which they 

 have got of breaking more grains than they eat. In their 

 passage in Germany, in October, they considerably damage 

 the hop-grounds, by eating the seeds. In France, also, they 

 do considerable prejudice to the apple-trees, by picking at, 

 the flowers. \ 



The song of the siskin is by no means disagreeable, but 

 very inferior to that of the goldfinch ; it is said to possess the 

 faculty of imitating the song of the canary, linnet, &c. if 

 taken very young, and placed within hearing of these birds. 

 It has, moreover, a note of appeal peculiar to itself. Even 

 when taken adult, it is easily tamed, and becomes almost as 

 mild as a canary. It is very docile, and can be taught to 

 hoist up its food and water in the mode we have already 

 described for the goldfinch, and can be even accustomed to 



