178 TREATISE ON 



and this leads us to think, that, if the siskin is not 

 the wild canary, or stock-bird, it is a species that 

 approaches so close to it as almost to appear only a 

 marked or distinct variety. These birds are com- 

 mon in Eui'ope, though rather rare with us, and 

 said to be only winter ^dsitors. 



Montagu mentions, that, " in the month of De- 

 cember 1805, a small flock of these birds were 

 seen, busy in extracting the seed from the alder 

 trees in the south of Devon ; several of which 

 were shot. Tlie weather was severe, and a heavy 

 fall of snow succeeded." And Bewick remarks, 

 that one, which he kept many years in a cage, had 

 a pleasing and sweetly-varied song, and that it 

 imitated the notes of other birds : It was caught 

 on the banks of the Tyne. About London, the 

 siskin is called the aberde^dne by bu'd-catchers, 

 who occasionally take a few of these birds. In 

 all places they are migratory, but irregular in 

 their migrations. In Germany they appear about 

 October, when they do a great deal of damage 

 to the hop plantations ; and the places where they 

 have been are easily known by the number of 

 leaves that are found lying on the gi'ound. They 

 visit France during the mintage, and even earlier 

 in the year, when they injure the blossoms of the 



