" i | fi ies exquisite little bird, unfortunately, has 
been trapped in such large numbers by 
professional bird-catchers that it is now comparatively 
scarce in most parts of the country. This is greatly to be 
regretted, as it is a most useful little creature in its way, 
owing to its extreme fondness for the seeds of thistles. It 
goes to work in the most systematic manner, clinging to 
the stems of one of these plants after another, stripping 
off the seeds, and greedily swallowing them after biting off 
the down. When thistle-seeds cannot be obtained, it will 
make shift with those of dandelions, groundsel, and 
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