The California Linnet 



"that's the limit." There are farm- 

 ers, at least, who will endorse this 

 sentiment, not to mention amateur 

 gardeners, park commissioners, and 

 various and sundry, charged or self- 

 charged with the maintenance of the 

 public weal. What tidy housewife, 

 contemplating the litter of spring- 

 time upon her porches, has not felt, 

 upon occasion, that the limits of hos- 

 pitality have been reached ? Or what 

 suburban fruit-grower, faced with 

 half-eaten peaches or plums, but has 

 felt that the limits of patience have 

 been passed? And yet, I suppose, 

 there is not another bird in the West 

 which is responsible for so much 

 amiable discourse, so much friendly 

 camaraderie, so much homely good 

 cheer withal, as this ubiquitous "lin- 

 net." The bird is part and parcel of 

 our California life, as much to be 

 taken for granted as sunshine and 

 dry weather. The linnet is the bread- 

 and-butter of the bird feast which 

 life daily spreads before us. We may 

 pass it over, for the nonce, in favor of 

 more notable dainties, but it is staple. 

 We will come back to it. For my 

 part, I confess without shame, that I 

 am fond of the linnets. They may 

 litter my porches and they may strip my vines if they like. I will take my 

 pay in music, — that incessant, uplifting chorus of commonplace joy. It 

 is reward enough to see the happy creatures breeding and brooding under 

 our very noses, and lavishing upon us that flattery of confidence which 

 they possess in common with our own children. They are not angels; 

 and sometimes we call them dirty little brats — the birds, I mean — but 

 the home that is not surrounded by an investing halo of linnets, I hold it 

 to be unblest. 



The House Finch is without question the most abundant bird in 

 California. It probably outnumbers all other resident species three to 

 one, and in some localities ten to one. It does not to any large extent 



Taken on Santa Cruz Island 



Photo by the Author 



GOOD MORNING, SIR! 



214. 



