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Birds. 



Their pranks in the cage must be well known to all who have ever 

 had them. 1 have crossed these with the canary, but do not think 

 they do so well as the goldfinch. So numerous were they atone time 

 about Aberdeen that, having made a bargain with the bird-catchers to 

 purchase all their dead birds, I remember that for one of any other 

 species I got a dozen siskins, most of them females. I do not know 

 whether they are as plentiful now, but it is not at all likely. 



The Linnet (F. cannabina) or, as we have it, the Rose Lintie is 

 plentiful. There is no house bird which we possess that rejoices in so 

 many names as this one. It is the rose lintie so long as it retains its 

 red breast ; but when that is gone or wanting it is then the gray lintie, 

 whin lintie, brown lintie, rock lintie and tree lintie. Cultivation is 

 doing with us, for the poor lintie, what the bird-catcher leaves undone, 

 viz., tearing down every whin, knoll and brae where it is possible for 

 plough and spade to work their way. I have found the nest of this 

 species three times in trees, — twice in a beech, and once in a Scotch 

 fir. They are very easily reared : keep them clean, and give them 

 plenty of meat, that is, as much as they can hold. The plain truth is, 

 that most people who pretend to bring up young birds literally starve 

 them to death, piecemeal, and all through sheer ignorance ; they 

 either do not know or do not choose to recollect that their lawful 

 parents are always and constantly feeding them during daylight: such 

 being the case, is it any wonder that so many of them die, when brought 

 up by hand ? w r hen we bear in mind, that many have the notion that 

 twice or thrice in the hour is quite sufficient to feed them ; and talk of 

 killing them by giving them too much. Nonsense, perfect nonsense. 

 I say again you cannot give them too much ; they will not take it. 

 Water, too, is given them by many people : what foolishness ! I have 

 seen it poured down their very throats against all advice until the poor 

 things sneezed again, and were likely to choke from its effects. 



The Lesser Redpole (F. linaria). As the last was plentiful in the 

 lower districts, this is so in the higher. In severe winters, however, 

 large flocks descend to the lower grounds, where they remain so long as 

 the storm lasts, when they again betake themselves to the hills and 

 mountains, where they breed and remain during summer. 



The Mealy Redpole (F, borealis). This is a rare species with us. 

 Once on a hill near Huntly and twice on Benvennis are the only times 

 I have met with them. 



The Twite (F. montium). Another mountain as well as sea-shore 

 rocky species. The most elegant of all our linnets. It is called the 

 " heather lintie 19 with us, and is much liked as a house bird. 



