INTRODUCTION. 5 



thorn, barberries, &c. Their song is a rich wild 

 cadence, of sweetly- varied mellow, plaintive notes. 

 The young are difficult to rear from the nest; 

 and the constitutions of both young and old birds 

 are rather delicate. They are grateful and affec- 

 tionate little creatures. Some have even been 

 known to pine and die, when deprived of those 

 tliey were attached to. None of the soft-billed 

 birds have ever been known to breed in a state of 

 captivity. At the head of tliis tribe may be placed 

 the nightingale, followed by the blackcap, wood- 

 lark, redbreast, pettychaps, thrush, skylark, &c. 

 The hard-billed species, with the exception of the 

 redpoles and linnets, draw near the habitation of 

 man, and nestle in his neighbourhood. Tliey feed, 

 in spring, on the young buds of trees ; and, in sum- 

 mer and autumn, on grain of different kinds, and 

 the seeds of hemp, rape, lint, plantain, chickweed, 

 groundsel, thistle, and other plants; and, in winter, 

 on wild berries, gi*ain, &c. Their song is cheer- 

 ful, varied, loud and powerful, often slirill and 

 piercing, though some of them have a low, sweet 

 warble ; but it is seldom mellow or plaintive. 

 Their constitutions are generally hardy, and the 

 young are easily reared from the nest. Some of 

 them breed in captivity, as the siskin ; and also 

 several of them with the canary, as the goldfinch. 



