462 GOLD-FINCH. 



generally yellow dingy: another variety is wholly 

 white, except the outer edges of the quills, which 

 are yellow, and none of them tipped with black : 

 it is also found entirely white, and not unfre- 

 quently quite black ; and variations between these 

 two states are also often taken. 



There is a variety with white spots under the 

 throat often taken by the bird-catchers, who call 

 it a Cheverel. 



The young birds have the head grey, and are 

 called Grey-pates. 



This species is very much esteemed for the 

 beauty of its song, and is frequently kept in cages : 

 it begins to sing early in the spring, and continues 

 the greatest part of the year ; some birds will even 

 continue to sing throughout the whole year : in 

 confinement it is generally fed on hempseed ; but 

 in a state of nature it feeds on seeds of various 

 kinds, particularly thistle and teasel : it feeds its 

 young on caterpillars and insects; its nest is very 

 elegantly formed externally of bents, moss, and 

 liverwort, wove together with wool, and lined with 

 wool, or hair covered with thistle down, or willow 

 cotton, and generally built in evergreen trees, or 

 hedges ; its eggs are four or five in number, of 

 a blueish white, with a few small spots, chiefly 

 at the larger end : it has often two broods in the 

 year. 



It is a very docile bird, and may often be 

 taught a great variety of tricks, such as to draw 

 up its food and water, by means of a bucket : it 

 breeds with the Canary, and tlie produce is known 



