BRITISH SONG-BIRDS. 191 



reared, and ought to be fed ivith scalded rape- 

 seed and loaf-bread, boiled mth milk and water. 

 The bread is then taken out and mixed with the 

 rape-seed, and made into a paste : with this they 

 must be fed every two hours till they are able to 

 feed themselves, which generally takes place in a 

 month or five weeks: they are then fed with rape 

 and canary-seed. In Scotland, boys rear thou- 

 sands of these birds on oatmeal and cold water, 

 (called drammock,) and with this alone. The old 

 birds, when taken, are easily tamed, and their food 

 is the same, viz. rape and canary-seeds. When 

 these birds are affected with disease, they are 

 treated in the same manner as goldfinches, cana- 

 ries, &c. 



Description and Plumage. 



The grey linnet is a very elegant-shaped bird. 

 Length about five inches and a half; bill bluish- 

 grey; eyes umber-brown ; head, neck, back, wings, 

 and tail, pale umber-brown, with deeper shades of 

 the same colour down the centre of each feather ; 

 spurious wings brownish-black, edges of the greater 

 quills brilliant snow-white, forming a large space 

 of white in the wing ; outer edges of the tail fea- 

 thers also bright snow-white ; legs and feet yellow- 



