BRITISH SONG-BIRDS. 179 



apple-trees. Buffon says, that " immense flocks 

 of these birds appear every three or four years." 

 They are said to fly very high, and may be heard 

 before they are seen. It is curious that their 

 nests are so rarely found ; nor is it certain where 

 they breed, but it is supposed to be in moun- 

 tainous forests. 



On the banks of the Danube, Ki-amer remarks 

 that thousands of young siskins are seen, which 

 have not yet dropped their nestling feathers. These 

 birds surely must have been bred there, or at 

 least not far distant. Sepp has delineated the nest 

 as *' placed in the fork of a tree, built with dry 

 bent mixed with leaves, and amply lined with 

 feathers ; the eggs, three in number, are of a dull 

 white." These birds are of so mild, gentle, and 

 docile a disposition, that they become quite tame al- 

 most immediately after they are taken. They may 

 be taught many pretty tricks, such as to open the 

 door of their cage, draw up their food and water, 

 and come to the hand to be fed at the sound of a 

 little bell or a whistle. Their food is the same as 

 that of canaries, and they are managed in the 

 same manner. 



