334 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



[Finches. 



Mountains. At first they are most generally seen 

 on the borders of woods, among the falling and de- 

 cayed leaves, in loose flocks of 30 or 40 together, 

 always t akin 2 to the trees when disturbed. As the 

 weather sets in colder, they approach nearer the 

 farmhouses and villages, assembling in larger flocks, 

 and doubly diligent in searching for food. When 

 deep snow covers the ground, they become almost 

 half domesticated. They collect about the bams, 

 stables, and other outhouses, and even round the 

 steps of the door, not only in the country and vil- 

 lages, but. in towns, crowding around the threshold 

 early in the morning, gleaning up the crumbs, and 

 appearing lively and familiar." They retire north- 

 wards in April : breeding in the high latitudes, and 

 making a nest on the ground. The snow-bird is 

 about, six inches long ; the general colour is slate 

 grey, deeper and purer in winter : the lower part of 

 the breast, the under parts, the edges of the prima- 

 ries, and the two outer tail-feathers being white. 

 Audubon states that in fine weather these birds 

 roost in the evergreen foliage of the holly, the cedar, 

 and the pine ; but in cold weather, in holes in stacks 

 and other snug retreats. They are accounted delica- 

 cies for the table. 



Cuvier says that this species occurs in the highest 

 region of the Alps, descending to the lower moun- 

 tains only daring the severity of the winter. It oc- 

 curs in Norway, Sweden, and other northern dis- 

 tricts of Europe ; but has never, we believe, been 

 seen in our island. 



148S, 14S9 (e,/).— The Siskin, or Aberdevine 

 (Carduelis spinas). Le Tarin, Buffon. Norway, 

 Sweden, and the North of Germany are the native 

 regions of this pretty little bird, whence in severe 

 Winters it migrates southwards, occasionally visiting 

 our islands in immense flocks, which resort to birch 

 and pine woods, and alders along the margin of 

 streams, often in company with the lesser redpole. 



Temminck informs us that this bird builds in the 

 highest branches of the pine, and that its eggs are of 

 a bluish white speckled with purplish red, 



Though the siskin must be regarded rather as a 

 winter visitor than a permanent resident in the Bri- 

 tish Islands, still there are not wanting examples of 

 its breeding within our shores. Mr. Selby assures 

 us that it is ascertained to breed in some of the pine- 

 woods in the Highlands of Scotland. " Near Kil- 

 hn," he adds, li these birds were observed by Sir W. 

 Jardine and myself to be in pairs in the month of 

 June, inhabiting a wood of very old and lofty pines, 

 but we were unable to procure the nests from the 

 height and inaccessible nature of the trees. In 

 captivity the siskin, judging by one which we kept 

 for a length of time, soon becomes familiar ; its song 

 is a trifling though not unpleasing twitter; it is 

 said to pair readily with the canary-finch ; but in 

 this particular our endeavours to procure a mule 

 breed altogether failed. 



The male in our possession was coloured as fol- 

 lows : Top of the head black ; ear-coverts dusky ; 

 a line above the eye, sides of neck, throat, and 

 chest, lemon-yellow ; back and shoulders dark olive- 

 green with obscure dusky dashes ; quills brown, 

 with an oblique yellow bar, and another above, pro- 

 duced by the yellow edging of the greater coverts. 

 Flanks dusky with a few brown dashes ; rump yel- 

 low, slightly washed with green ; two middle tail- 

 feathers dark brown; the rest yellow tipped with 

 brown, the outermost having the external vane of 

 this colour also. Bill and legs horn-colour. Length 

 four inches and three quarters; tail short and forked. 



The female is less brightly and decidedly marked. 



1490. — The Canary Finch 



(Fringilla [Carduelis'] Canaria), Of this well- 

 known songster, of which a caged breed has spread 

 over Europe, we shall say nothing excepting that it 

 is a native of the Canary Islands and Madoria, and, 

 according to Bechstein, was first introduced into 

 Europe in the beginning of the sixteenth century : 

 Italy being the first country in which broods were 

 reared. Its colour in a wild state is greenish grey, 

 darker on the back, and olive-green on the chest. 



1489 (c, d). — The Goldfinch 

 {Carduelis elegans). Le Chardonneret, Buffon ; 

 Distel Zeisig, Bechstein. 



Among our native finches none exceeds the gold- 

 finch in "beauty and docility; hence it is frequently 

 kept in cages, and taught to draw up a little bucket 

 of water when thirsty, and other tricks, which neither 

 .good taste nor proper feeling would sanction. The 

 song of this species is a twitter, soft and pleasing, 

 .but of no power. 



In its natural state the goldfinch breeds in or- 

 chards, large gardens, plantations, &c, often select- 

 ing some dense evergreen as the site of its nest, 

 which is an elegant piece of workmanship, being 

 formed externally of moss, lichens, dry grass, and 

 wool, and lined with hair and seed-down of the 

 coltsfoot or the down of the willow. The eggs are 



of a bluish white, marked at the larger end with 

 orange-brown spots 



The food of this species consists of the seeds of 

 various plants, among which we may mention those 

 of the thistle, dandelion, groundsel, burdock, &c. 



In winter it associates in small flocks of 10 or 12 

 in number, which flit about the hedges or old or- 

 chards in quest of food. The goldfinch is spread 

 through Europe generally, and two allied species 

 are natives of the Himalayan Mountains. Fig. 1421 

 represents the nest of the common goldfinch. 



1489 (a, &).— The Common Linnet 



(Linaria cannabina). Greater Redpole, Grey Linnet, 

 Brown Linnet, of authors. La Linotte ordinaire, 

 Buffon ; Bluthan-fling, Bechstein. 



Owing to the difference between the winter and 

 summer'plumage of this bird, naturalists have mul- 

 tiplied its synonyms, regarding it under the head of 

 two distinct species — an error which was first pointed 

 out by Montagu, whose opinion has been confirmed 

 by Selby and other ornithologists. It would appear, 

 from the observations of the latter author, that birds 

 captured in full summer plumage with the top and 

 breast of a fine carmine-red, after losing that dress at 

 the period of the autumnal moult, never acquire it 

 while caged, but retain their plain brown livery ; this 

 accounts for the assertion of some observers, that the 

 grey linnet remains the same in its plumage at all 

 seasons. 



The linnet is found over Europe generally, and is 

 common throughout the British Islands, extending 

 as far as the Orkneys. The song is very sweet, 

 whence it is often kept in cages, and sometimes 

 paired with the hen canary. Rough commons and 

 neglected pasture lands are its favourite localities, 

 where various plants furnish it with food ; it is very 

 partial to the seed of the flax, thistle, dandelion and 

 of cruciform plants. 



The nest of the linnet is generally built, in some 

 low bush, the thick spiny furze being preferred ; it 

 is composed of moss, stalks of grass, and wool, lined 

 with hair and feathers ; the eggs are of a bluish 

 white speckled with purplish red. 



In the winter these birds congregate in large 

 flocks, and visit the rocky shores of the sea, where 

 they flit about active and industrious in the search of 

 food, ever and anon uttering a lively call. In the 

 spring they separate, and pair and revisit their up- 

 land haunts. 



Allied to the common linnet are the Twite (Lina- 

 ria montana), found in the hilly districts of ourisland 

 and abundant in Norway and Sweden, and the 

 lesser Redpole (Linaria minor), resident throughout 

 the year in Scotland and the northern counties of 

 England, but a winter visitor to the southern coun- 

 ties, together with many continental species. 



1492.— The Song-Sparrow 



(Zonotrichia melodia, Bonap.). Fringilla ferruginea, 

 Linnaeus; Fringilla melodia, Wilson. 



The species is a representative of the song-finches 

 of the United States of America, and is partially mi- 

 gratory, moving southwards in the month of Novem- 

 ber : though many individuals remain behind the 

 great body, and continue permanent in their old 

 quarters. 



"This finch," says Wilson, "is the first singing 

 bird in spring, and is heard during the whole sum- 

 mer and autumn ; its notes are short, but very sweet, 

 and are uttered generally from the branches of a 

 bush or small tree, where it will sit singing for an 

 hour together. It frequents the borders of rivers 

 swamps, and marshy places, and when wounded and 

 unable to fly will readily take to the water and swim 

 with considerable rapidity. In winter it haunts in 

 multitudes the great cypress swamps of the southern 

 states, associating with other species. This bird 

 builds its nest on the ground among the roots of tall 

 grasses, and also, strange to say, in cedar trees five 

 or six feet from the ground. The eggs are white 

 or bluish white, thickly speckled with reddish 

 brown." 



The male and female closely resemble each other 

 in colouring. Upper part of the head reddish brown 

 mottled with dark brown, with a broad line of bluish 

 grey down the middle ; back grey streaked with 

 reddish brown and dusky ; rump bluish grey, as also 

 the sides of the head ; a broad line of brown from 

 the eye backwards, and another from the angle of 

 the mouth. Under parts white, tinged on the sides 

 with grey, and posteriorly with reddish brown : neck 

 and breast spotted with dark brown ; wings and tail 

 brown. Length six inches. 



The circumstance of this bird choosing two dif- 

 ferent localities for the site of its nest calls to our 

 mind the nidiftcation of our common house-sparrow 

 (Pyrgita domestica). This bird builds in the niches 

 of masonry; in the fissures and crevices of walls, 

 barns, or houses ; in ivy or other foliage against the 

 side of a house, and also in frees. The nest con- 

 sists of hay, straw, feathers, and other materials, and 

 in snug crevices and under the eaves of houses is 



loosely put together, its shape varying according to 

 that of the site, but it is usually domed ; in trees 

 it is large, firmly constructed of well-intertwined 

 materials, and completely domed, with a lateral 

 aperture, and lined with feathers and other soft 

 materials. It is, however, a shapeless and inartifi- 

 cial structure, destitute of that trimness and compact- 

 ness so remarkable in the nests of our finches gene- 

 rally, as the goldfinch and the chaffinch. A speci- 

 men of the nest of the house-sparrow in a tree is 

 represented at Fig. 1493. 



1494. — The Nest of the Chaffinch 

 (Fringilla ccclcbs). This is a most artful and 

 beautiful structure, composed externally of moss, 

 fine wool, lichen, the scales of bark, and often 

 spiders'-webs, all neatly felted together, and pre- 

 senting a smooth and carefully-finished exterior; 

 internally it is delicately lined with wool and hairs. 

 It is securely attached to the supporting stems by 

 bands of moss, felted with wool, which are twined 

 round them and worked into the mass of materials 

 composing the nest. The elm, oak, hawthorn, and 

 thick tall bushes are generally selected. We have 

 seen the nest in a dense holly, and also on old appJe- 

 trees overgrown with moss and lichens ; sometimes 

 it is shrouded among the luxuriant ivy encircling 

 the trunks of elms or other trees. The eggs are 

 bluish white, tinged with pink, and marked with 

 streaks of purplish red. The chaffinch is too well 

 known to need a minute description. 



1495. — The Bullfinch 

 (Pyrrlmla vulgaris). Bouvreuil of the French ? 

 Fringuello morino, Ciufolotto, Suffuleno, Mona- 

 chino, of the Italians; Dom-pape of the Danes and 

 Norwegians ; Dom-herre of the ' Fauna Suecica ; * 

 Bulfinck, Rothburstiger Gimpel, and der Gimpel 

 of the Germans ; de Goudvink of the Netherlander ; 

 y Chwybanydd and Rhawn-goch of the ancient 

 British. 



In the Bulfinches the bill is short, hard, conico- 

 convex, thick, swollen at the sides, compressed at 

 the point, with the ridge of the upper mandible 

 advancing on the forehead, and arched. Tarsi 

 short. 



The common bulfinch is a native of the northern 

 parts of Europe, and is only known in the more 

 southern provinces as a bird of passage ; in our 

 island it is stationary. In the mountain forests of 

 Germany it is very common. 



This beautiful bird tenants the wooded districts, 

 and is retiring in its habits ; during the winter it 

 associates in families of five or six individuals, the 

 brood of the year, which separate in spring; when 

 they pair, and commence nidification. 



The native song of this bird is low, soft, and pleas- 

 ing, but inaudible at a short distance ; it has, how- 

 ever, the imitative faculty in great perfection, and 

 can be taught to whistle musical airs with great 

 accuracy. In Germany considerable attention is paid 

 to the instruction of these birds, which require nine 

 months of continued and regular teaching before 

 they can execute an air with firmness and precision ; 

 which should be delivered in a flute-like tone. 

 Birds well instructed sell at. a high price, and are as 

 interesting from their docility and affectionate dis- 

 position as from their voice, The common call-note 

 of the wild bullfinch is a plaintive whistle. 



Its food during summer and autumn consists of 

 various seeds, but in the winter and spring it sub- 

 sists chiefly on the buds of various trees and shrubs, 

 as the thorn, larch, birch, the plum and other fruit- 

 trees, and is frequently from this cause very injurious 

 in gardens ; the buds are not swallowed whole, but 

 minced to pieces by the edges of the powerful man- 

 dibles of the bill. 



The bullfinch builds in low thick bushes or 

 underwood, or on the flat foliage of a spruce pine or 

 silver fir. It consists of a foundation of birch-twigs 

 or other slender sticks, upon which is intertwined a 

 basket of flexible fibrous roots, the whole forming a 

 shallow nest. The eggs, four or five in number, are 

 of a bluish white spotted with pale orange-brown. 

 Fig. 1496 is the nest of this species. Caged birds 

 often become quite black, an effect resulting from 

 their being fed too profusely with hemp-seed. We 

 knew a black bullfinch, which, on its spring moult, 

 recovered its natural dress. 



The male bullfinch has the head, wings and tail 

 velvet black, with a tinge of purple ; the back of 

 the neck, and back, fine bluish grey : rump white ; 

 cheeks, throat, chest and sides, roseate ; the 

 greater wing-coverts margined with pinkish white. 

 The female is much duller in plumage, and the chest 

 has only a faint tinge of the roseate hue. An allied 

 species (P. erythrocephala) ik a a native of the 

 Himalaya Mountains. 



1497. — The Arabian Bullfinch 

 (Pyrrlmla Syvoica). This species was found by 

 Mr. Hemprich near Mount Sinai in Arabia ; and 

 appears also to extend into Egypt. It was one of 



