﻿BIEDS. 
  

  

  95 
  

  

  thistle 
  seeds 
  are 
  still 
  plentiful, 
  this 
  is 
  only 
  for 
  a 
  short 
  period 
  

   yearly; 
  other 
  plants, 
  upon 
  whose 
  seeds 
  the 
  Goldfinch 
  fed, 
  

   may 
  have 
  been 
  extirpated, 
  so 
  that 
  the 
  bird 
  may 
  have 
  had 
  to 
  

   shift 
  to 
  where 
  a 
  constant 
  supply 
  of 
  food 
  can 
  be 
  obtained. 
  

   Be 
  this 
  as 
  it 
  may, 
  it 
  is 
  to 
  be 
  feared 
  that 
  the 
  voracious 
  

   bird-catcher, 
  whose 
  only 
  aim 
  is 
  cash, 
  has 
  a 
  good 
  deal 
  to 
  

   answer 
  for 
  in 
  the 
  disappearance 
  of 
  C. 
  elegans. 
  

  

  Genus 
  CHRYSOMITRIS, 
  Bote. 
  

  

  Chrysomitris 
  spinus, 
  Gould. 
  Siskin. 
  

  

  Like 
  the 
  Goldfinch, 
  the 
  Siskin 
  is 
  becoming 
  yearly 
  less 
  

   numerous 
  with 
  us. 
  It 
  still 
  breeds 
  in 
  various 
  localities 
  along 
  

   the 
  course 
  of 
  the 
  rivers 
  Dee, 
  Feugh, 
  and 
  Don, 
  where 
  it 
  

   is 
  pretty 
  safe 
  from 
  the 
  wiles 
  of 
  the 
  fowler; 
  but 
  now, 
  

   around 
  all 
  our 
  towns 
  and 
  villages, 
  where 
  these 
  " 
  ravenous 
  

   wolves 
  " 
  could 
  reach 
  them, 
  the 
  beautiful 
  Siskin 
  has 
  been 
  

   exterminated 
  ; 
  and 
  it 
  would 
  seem 
  that, 
  at 
  no 
  distant 
  date, 
  

   should 
  the 
  craze 
  continue 
  amongst 
  thoughtless 
  men 
  and 
  

   women 
  to 
  have 
  those 
  innocent 
  little 
  birds 
  pent 
  up 
  in 
  gilded 
  

   prisons, 
  to 
  drag 
  out 
  a 
  short 
  and 
  dreary 
  life, 
  and 
  droop 
  and 
  die 
  

   to 
  make 
  room 
  for 
  another 
  victim, 
  the 
  Siskin 
  will 
  soon 
  have 
  to 
  

   be 
  numbered 
  {; 
  amongst 
  the 
  things 
  that 
  were." 
  

  

  Genus 
  LIGURINUS, 
  Koch. 
  

  

  Ligurinus 
  chloris, 
  Gould. 
  Greenfinch. 
  "Green 
  Linnet." 
  

   "Green 
  Lintie." 
  

  

  This 
  strong 
  and 
  handsome 
  bird 
  is 
  common 
  and 
  resident 
  

   throughout 
  " 
  Dee," 
  building 
  its 
  nest 
  in 
  woods, 
  plantations, 
  

   and 
  in 
  ivy-covered 
  walls. 
  It 
  collects 
  in 
  flocks 
  in 
  autumn, 
  when 
  

   it 
  may 
  be 
  seen 
  in 
  the 
  farmers' 
  stackyards 
  ; 
  while 
  in 
  severe 
  

   weather 
  it 
  betakes 
  itself 
  to 
  the 
  open 
  grounds 
  along 
  the 
  sea 
  

   coast. 
  There 
  it 
  is 
  often 
  seen 
  in 
  company 
  with 
  Chaffinches, 
  

   Bramblings, 
  Linnets, 
  etc. 
  

  

  Genus 
  COCCOTHRAUSTES, 
  Brisson. 
  

  

  [Coccothraustes 
  vulgaris, 
  Hewitson. 
  Hawfinch. 
  

  

  Gray 
  says 
  : 
  " 
  In 
  the 
  southern 
  and 
  eastern 
  counties, 
  it 
  has 
  

   been 
  traced 
  from 
  Dumfriesshire 
  to 
  East 
  Lothian, 
  and 
  thence 
  

  

  G 
  2 
  

  

  