128 



British Cage Birds. 



feathers of the wings are black, bordered with bright yel- 

 lowish green on the outer web of the feathers, and, except- 

 ing the four on the extreme outside of each wing, have a 

 yellow mark near the roots. The lesser wing coverts are 

 green, as well as the larger coverts, the latter being edged 

 with yellow, forming stripes across the wings. The two 

 centre feathers in the tail are black, marked with yellow 

 towards the root. The tail coverts are yellowish green, 

 and the legs and feet brown. These birds mostly sit with 

 their wings drooping. 



Habits and Beeeding. — Although the Siskin is docile and 

 tractable in confinement, it evidently, in its wild state, prefers 

 secluded haunts, where there are dense masses of trees 

 (a forest), and situated in places which are seldom visited 

 by bipeds, and such places they, as a rule, select as breeding 

 grounds. They also frequent commons and low-lying, marshy 

 grounds, surrounded with woods and patches of water, and 

 are sometimes seen travelling in flocks from place to place, 

 no doubt in search of provender, as they are seldom observed 

 excepting in very severe weather, and then generally in the 

 company of Linnets, Goldfinches, and Eedpolls. They build 

 in pine and fir trees, the nest being composed of small, 

 fine twigs, withered grass, moss, root fibres, and lichens, and 

 lined with wool, feathers, hare or rabbit fur, and thistle 

 down. It is not greatly unlike the nest of the OhaflSnch, 

 but not nearly so skilfully made or so artistically finished. 



The hen lays four or five eggs. They are French white, with 

 an almost imperceptible green tinge, and marked rather 

 thickly, more particularly at the blunt end— as are the eggs 

 of most of the Finches — with chocolate brown spots. They 

 rear two broods in a year, seldom beginning to breed before 

 the latter part of April, and ceasing in June. Siskins, except 

 under very favourable conditions, do not propagate their own 

 species in confinement, though the males will breed readily with 

 the Canary and Greenfinch, and no doubt with other varieties 

 of the Finch tribe. They are said to pair more freely with a 

 green than a clear canary, but in either case there is little 

 diflSculty. Siskin and Canary mules should be more exten- 

 sively cultivated, as the produce, when reared under Canaries, 

 readily learn their song, but sing softer and sweeter, and 

 with less harshness. A jonque cinnamon hen and a male 



