The Goldfinch. 



87 



the best birds may easily be put out of court by inferior 

 specimens. German and Eussian Goldfinches are larger than 

 our English specimens, and some of them are exceedingly 

 handsome ; but, in a class devoted to British birds, we fail 

 to see that they are admissible for competition. Some 

 judges pass by "Oheverals" in a class of this variety, but 

 why they should do so is a mystery, as a " Cheveral " 

 is not only a British bird, but, as a rule, the most hand- 

 some of all the Goldfinch tribe. 



General Eemarks. — The Goldfinch is a very apt pupil, 

 and can be taught a variety of amusing tricks, such as learn- 

 ing to draw ifcs water from a trough or other vessel, 

 placed some distance below the aperture from which it drinks. 

 This is done by attaching a piece of string, gut, or light 

 chain to a thimble or miniature bucket, and securing it to 

 the cage. It may also be taught to draw a small, lightly- 

 made wooden box on wheels up an inclined plane, and to lift 

 up the lid of the box to obtain its food. Properly con- 

 structed cages to be used for this purpose may be obtained 

 from any professional birdcage maker. A Goldfinch can be 

 taught to feign death, to fire a toy cannon, to come and 

 go at command (both in and out of doors), to feed from 

 the hand or mouth, and many other tricks of a similar 

 character. 



The Goldfinch is much prized by bird-breeders, not only 

 on account of its beauty and song, but also for the easy 

 way it. adapts itself to circumstances and domestication. It 

 pairs "without difficulty with the Canary, Bullfinch, and other 

 kindred species. The handsomest and most valuable Mules 

 are those bred between this bird and the Canary, when the 

 features of both are thoroughly blended, or when they 

 favour the Canary principally. Birds bred between the 

 Goldfinch and the Bullfinch are likewise handsome and 

 highly prized ; but those between the Goldfinch and Linnet 

 or Siskin are not particularly attractive. In breeding Mules, 

 the male Goldfinch should be used, and, if possible, a three- 

 year-old bird that has been hand-reared, or brought up 

 under Canaries, or one twice moulted in the house, as they 

 very rarely break the eggs when left bes ide the hen during 

 incubation — a practice that newly-caught birds paired with 

 hens of a different species are very guilty of doing ; hence 



