GOLDFINCH. 
CARDUELIS ELEGANS, Stephens. 
Carduelis elegans, Stephens, Gen. Zool. xiv. p. 80 (1826) ; 
Macg. i. p. 3893; Yarr. ed. 4, ii. p. 117; Dresser, iii. 
p. 527. 
Fringilla carduelis, Naum. v. p. 126; Hewitson, i. p. 196. 
Chardonneret, French; Distelfink, Stieglitz, German ; 
Jilguero, Gilguero, Colorin, Spanish. 
It would be quite superfluous for me to go into any 
details as to the habits of this well-known and very 
beautiful bird. I hear many reports from various parts 
of the country of the sad diminution in numbers of the 
Goldfinch, caused by the persistent arts and devices of 
the bird-catchers, who can always obtain a ready sale 
for these attractive little Finches; another cause of their 
comparative scarcity is no doubt the tillage and recla- 
mation of many waste lands, which afforded them an 
abundant supply of the seeds of various wild plants, 
their natural and favourite food, but I am glad to say 
that in the part of England with which I am best 
acquainted, I can neither perceive or hear of any lack of 
Goldfinches, and at the time of present writing (June 
1890), I am informed of at least four nests within two 
