oage and singing birds. 79^ 
and lichens^ with a lining of fibrous roots and hair ; the eggs 
are of a pale oHve, spotted and streaked with black and 
dusky brown — they are five or six in number. 
THE BULLFINCH. 
This IS another very inelegant bird; as regards shape, but 
then it has great beauty of plumage, great vocal powers, arid 
rnany admirable qualities to recommend it ; hence Bully is a 
prime favourite with bird-fanciers, and has to undergo a 
life-long imprisonment, and to learn a variety of accomplish- 
ments, which, if his own will were consulted, he would much 
rather be without. Bullfinches are permanent residents in 
this country, and although tolerably plentiful, are but rarely 
seen, on account of their shy retiring habits : to find their 
nests, one must search diligently in the thickest wf)ods and 
forests ; it is neatly made of small twigs and moss, with a 
lining of root fibres 5 the situation chosen is amid the 
thickest lower boughs of a fir or other tree, or in a hawthorn, 
or some close bush, four or five feet from the ground ; the 
eggs are from four to six in number, of a bluish white, 
spotted and streaked with violet brown. The searcher will 
frequently be directed to the spot by the low sweet desultory 
warble of the male bird, which thus hghtens the labours of 
its sitting mate at the slightest noise, however, this will 
suddenly stop, and the singer will drop into the close covert 
of the bush, or tree, on which he was perched, and remain 
silent for awhile. Authorities differ as to the age at which 
young bullfinches should be taken. Bolton, in his Har- 
monia Ruralis/' says, they should be but four days old, for 
if left, as Bechstein recommends, till the age often or twelve 
days? they will acquire some of the harsh notes of the parent, 
which they will never again lose. Others say, do not take 
.them till they are nearly fledged, and this is what we should 
feel disposed to recommend, rather thon risk the removal of 
the birds at such an early age. White bread and milk, or 
buckwheat meal, with soaked hemp-seed, is the best food on 
which to rear them. The plumage of the young birds is of 
i ^ .^li^gy «sh colour, with dull brown spreading over the 
wings and tail ^ the males may, at a very early period, be 
distinguished from the females, by a faint red tinge iwon the 
breast ^ the latter may be taught to whistle, but they want 
