CAGE AND SINGING BIRDS. 
are naturally of a plethoric habit, and must not be fed very 
abundantly ; a little salt should be given to them now and 
then ; water and sand are essentials. 
The natural song of the linnet is very sweet; but if 
placed when young under the tuition of a nightingale, or 
a woodlark, or taught by an instrument, there is no more 
delightful songster. It ie one of those birds that will breed 
readily with the canary; and if you want a really good 
parlour bird, get a well-trained linnet mule ; its execution is 
brilhant, and its piano notes are the softest and most melo- 
dious that can be imagined. The Imnet is a quick learner, 
and a most docile and affectionate bird ; it may be taught 
all sorts of amusing tricks, and after a little training may 
be allowed to fly into the garden and shrubbery without 
any danger of its deserting its home, and the persons to 
whom it has become attached. 
THE LESSER REDPOLE. 
This bird possesses most of the good qualities of its con- 
gener just described, except its powers of song, which are 
very inferior. It closely resembles the siskin in shape, and 
m its habits the blue tit, being almost incessantly in motion, 
and clinging about the trees in all kinds of attitudes. It 
is partial to the birch and alder woods, on the seeds of 
which it feeds, as it does also on those of the thistle and 
other plants. The nest is placed in a low bush, and formed 
of grass, moss, and downy filaments. The eggs are four or five 
in number, of a f^ale bluish green, spotted with brown. Vast 
numbers of these pretty birds sometimes in the winter come to 
this country from Norway and Sweden, and are taken by 
hundreds, by the London bird-catchers, who generally find 
purchasers for them, tempted by the brilliant crimson on 
the crown of the head, and bright carmine tint on the sides 
of the neck and breast. At the first month, however, the 
latter generally disappears, and at the second changes to 
a greenish yellow, leaving the bird with few attractions, 
except its vivacity and docility. It is," says Bechstein, 
" a very affectionate bird, constantly caressing, not only its 
own mate, but even other species of birds." It may be fed 
upon the same food as the common linnet. 
