156 
NATURAL HISTORY 
GOLDFINCH. 
The Goldfinch is a very beautiful bird; 
his plumage is elegantly diversified; his 
form is small but pleasing, and his voice not 
loud, but sweet. The art with which these 
birds compose and build their nests is really 
an object of admiration : it is generally inter* 
woven with wool, moss, horse-hair, and other 
piiant materials; the inside lined with a 
fine down. There the female deposits n'® 
or six eggs of a white colour, marked atujfl 
upper end with purple dots. These bird* 
associate in flocks at a certain season of in® 
year, and feed chiefly on seeds. It is reporte 
that this small creature exceeds the general 
rules of life among those of his size, & n 
often lives twenty years. 
