168 
VERTEBRATA. 
it can be tauglit to repeat any of our airs. The canary can speak and whistle ; the nightingale 
despises our words as well as our song, and never fails to return to the warbling of its own wild 
wood-notes. Its pipe is a master-piece of nature, which human art can neither alter nor improve ; 
that of the canary-bird is a model of more pliant materials, which we can mould at pleasure. 
This last, therefore, contributes in a much greater degree to the comforts of society ; it sings at 
all seasons; it cheers us in the dullest weather; and even adds to our happiness — for it amuses 
the young, and delights the recluse ; it charms the tediousness of the cloister, and exhilarates the 
soul of the innocent and the captive." 
"The breeding and rearing of these charming birds," says Bolton, "forms an amusement of 
the most pleasing kind, and affords a variety of scenes highly interesting to innocent minds. In 
this country, no less than in the old German Fatherland, and amid the green valleys of the 
Tyrol, many enthusiastic canary fanciers may be met with. There are societies in London — and 
some of them have existed for more than a century — for promoting the breed of canaries, and 
amateurs distinguish upward of thirty varieties : these varieties are separated into two great divi- 
sions — the Plain and the Variegated ; the former being called Gay Birds or Gay Spangles, and 
the latter Fancy Birds or Mealy Birds ; these latter are esteemed the strongest, and have the 
boldest song. Jonks or Jonquils is also a term applied to those of a pure yellow. There is also 
a variety called the Lizard, the plumage of which is of a greenish-bronze throughout, excepting 
the upper part of the head, which is covered by a patch of clear yellow, and this variety is looked 
upon as the nearest of kin to the original stock." 
The American" Goldfinch, C. tristis, is four and a half inches long; general color yellow; 
wings and tail black, varied with white ; feeds on the seeds of the sunflower, lettuce, thistle, 
&c.; the nest is made on trees or tall bushes ; eggs four to five, pure white, with reddish-brown 
spots at the smaller end. It is found from the tropics to the Fur Countries, and is a familiar bird 
at all seasons in the United States, and is often seen about the gardens. It has the various pop- 
ular names of Yelloio-Bird, Thistle-Bird, Lettuce-Bird, Salad-Bird, &c. Many are taken in 
trap-cages ; their song is feeble, but plaintive and pleasing ; in confinement they become familiar, 
and hence they are favorite cage birds. 
The Pine-Finch, C.pinus, four and a half inches long; varied with olive-brown and black; 
beneath lighter shade ; feeds on the seeds of the pine, birch, thistles, &c. ; found from Florida to 
Maine ; permanent in the Middle States. 
Other species are the C. Magellanicus, found, though rarely, in Ohio ; 0. psaltria, found in 
Louisiana and Arkansas; C, Mexicanus, found in California; C. S tanleyi, aho found in Cali- 
fornia. 
The CiTRiL-FiNCH — Fringilla citrinella of Linnseus — is five inches long, its plumage greenish- 
gray, tinged with ashy-gray, and blackish ; found in Southern Europe, where it is a cage bird. 
The Serin-Finch — Loxia serinus or Fringilla serinus of Linnasus ; Serin Vert of the French 
— ^has often been confounded with the preceding ; it is four and a half inches long ; general color 
greenish-yellow ; noted as a lively and indefatigable singer. It is migratory, and spends the 
summer in Middle Europe ; some remain through the cold season. 
The Glossy Finch — F. nitens of Linnseus — is four inches and a half long ; plumage blue-black, 
or coal-black, with a gloss of steel ; found in Cayenne. 
The Brazilian Finch — F. granatina of Linnaeus — is four inches long; brown above, the 
rump blue ; beneath chestnut-color ; found in Brazil. 
The Blue-bellied Finch — F. Bengalensis of Linnseus — is four and a half inches long ; ashy- 
brown above ; blue beneath ; found in Guiana. 
Other foreign species are the Liver-colored Finch, F. hepatica, of Western Africa ; the Green 
Goldfinch, F. melha, of Brazil ; and the Angola Finch, F. Angolensis, of Angola. 
Genus ERYTHROSPIZA : Fiythi-osjnza. — This includes the Purple Finch — the American 
Linnet of Nuttall — F. purpurea ; it is six inches long ; in full plumage, the male is rich crimson 
above, deepest on the head and neck; the back streaked with dusky; beneath white. This is a 
winter bird of passage, coming to us from the north in September and October, and in very 
severe seasons proceeding, in considerable numbers, as far as the Southern States, and even to 
