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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



taller than any of the others. Its size may he 

 appreciated from the painting (Plate II), in 

 which the crested canary shown is of the Lan- 

 cashire breed and is appreciably larger than its 

 companions. The largest specimens are more 

 than seven inches in length and are heavy in 

 body, so that they appear as veritable giants 

 when compared with ordinary canaries. 



Frilled Canary 



The frilled canary, seen perhaps most often 

 in the Netherlands and France, has many of 

 the body feathers long and slightly recurved 

 at the tip, so that the plumage appears loose 

 and fluffy, almost as if some of the feathers 

 were growing upside down (Color Plate II). 



This type usually has a clear-yellow color 

 and shows considerable variation in the extent 

 of the frilling. 



Yorkshire Canary 



The Yorkshire canary, said to be a com- 

 paratively modern variety, has a long, slender 

 body and small head. It is bred in various 

 colors, one of the common ones being clear 

 yellow. Males mav be nearly seven inches in 

 length (Color Plate II). 



Bullfinch 



The linch, or sparrow, family has many spe- 

 cies that are kept in cages or aviaries, since 

 their small size, tameness, and trim, pleasing 

 form give them definite attraction. Finches 

 are distributed abundantly throughout regions 

 where the keeping of small birds has long been 

 an interest, and, as they are easily obtained, 

 numerous kinds have become highly popular. 

 Most of them thrive in captivity, as they are 

 seed eaters whose care is not difficult. 



Of the considerable variety only a few may 

 be mentioned here, as there is not space to 

 describe many common kinds, such as the green- 

 finch, brambling, chaffinch, yellow bunting, saf- 

 fron finch, grassquits, red cardinals, and many 

 others that are prized by bird keepers. 



A prime favorite of this family is the bull- 

 finch (Pyrrliula pyrrhula), which as a species 

 ranges across Europe and northern Asia to 

 Japan. Several varieties or subspecies are 

 found through this vast region, differing slightly 

 in color and size. 



The most common one in captivity is the 

 European bullfinch (Pyrrliula pyrrliula eiiro- 

 paea). The male is beautifully colored in gray, 

 black, soft red and white; the female is duller 

 in hue (Color Plate III). 



While wild trapped birds soon become tame, 

 the most interesting are those that are taken 

 from the nest and reared by hand, or those 

 that are bred in aviaries, as they become en- 

 tirely without fear and are easily handled. 



The ordinary song is a low, warbling whistle, 

 which, while pleasing, is not remarkable, but 

 captive birds are often taught to whistle simple 



tunes, which they do most attractively. Often, 

 too, they learn to perform little tricks, and 

 become so tame that they may be allowed to 

 go in and out of their cages at will. 



Though bullfinches often are fed entirely on 

 rape seed, it is better to give them a diet of 

 mi.xed seeds, and they are very fond of berries 

 and green food. 



Linnet 



Another favorite is the linnet (Carduelis 

 caiinabina), valued for its pleasing, varied, 

 warbling song (Color Plate IIIj. It is an ex- 

 cellent cage bird, and with proper handling be- 

 comes very tame. 



While males in the wild state are marked 

 with crimson on the breast, they often lose 

 most of this color after the first molt in cap- 

 tivity. This species often breeds in well-kept 

 aviaries, and frequently hybridizes with related 

 birds. 



European Siskin 



The Old World siskin ( Spiniis spimts) is an- 

 other species that usually becomes very tame 

 when caged. The adult male is marked with 

 bright yellow, with black on the head (Color 

 Plate III), but females and immature males 

 are soberly clad in streaked plumage like the 

 pine siskin of America. 



The European siskin nests in the north 

 where there are spruces and other cone-bearing 

 trees, ranging into Norway and the Archangel 

 district in Russia and across Asia to Japan. 

 In the Pyrenees, Bulgaria, and the Caucasus it 

 is found locally. In winter it wanders in flocks 

 wherever food is abundant. 



As the song is merely a twittering warble, the 

 bird is sought more for its friendly acceptance 

 of captivity than for its notes. 



European Goldfinch 



The European goldfinch (Carduelis cardu- 

 elis) is a handsome fellow of gay plumage, a 

 prime favorite abroad, and is often brought to 

 America (Color Plate III). It may be excita- 

 ble when first captured, but with a little atten- 

 tion soon becomes tame. 



In its native home it ranges through Europe 

 and northern Africa to Palestine and western 

 Asia, several geographic forms distinguished by 

 slight differences in color being found in this 

 region. The song is pleasing and, coupled with 

 the bright plumage, makes the bird most at- 

 tractive. 



Common about gardens and cultivated lands, 

 the European goldfinch often nests near houses. 

 Its cup-shaped nest holds from three to six 

 bluish-white eggs spotted with brown. 



The bird is one that has been transported 

 often to other lands, and now is established in 

 Bermuda, New Zealand, and in various places 

 in Australia. For a while there was a colony 

 in and about New York City, but after a time 



