THE SISKIN. 
scores and scores of second-raters, the tits and buntings of the 
craft, who twitter prettily ? Haven’t we no end of bullfinch 
poets, who, though they can’t sing, have an amazing aptitude 
for imitation ? Ho, no more poets.” 
At the same time I have no doubt that, did siskins generally 
know of my intention, they would think me an officious 
meddling person, who might find something better to do than 
to persuade people to rob them of their liberty ! But 
why should not the siskin be as popular as any other finch ? 
He is more handsome than the linnet, hardier than the chaf- 
finch, as good a singer as the redpole, and quite as capable of 
mimicry as the bullfinch. Then they are cheap. Every 
autumn siskins, in flights a thousand strong, leave their native 
northern homes and visit England, and from October till 
February they may be bought at most bird-shops for ninepence 
or a shilling. Judge from the following description if he is not 
a handsome fellow. He is, perhaps, a trifle less than the gold- 
finch; the neck, back, tail, and wings are of a delicate olive 
green, which grows paler and shades off to yellow at the 
extremity of the tail ; over each eye is a streak of orange ; the 
crown feathers are jet-black (hence one of his names) in the 
spring, but in autumn, after the bird has moulted, the black- 
cap is prettily fringed with grey ; the beak is a chestnut brown, 
and darker at the tip than at the stump. The character of 
the bird’s markings much resemble those of the redpole, but 
the colours are different. You may know the male from the 
female from the latter having a brown instead of a black poll ; 
still some discrimination is necessary, as the bird does not 
acquire his brightest plumage till after his third moult. 
As the siskin’s proper home is in the northern parts of 
Europe, I will have no more to say about its nest than that it 
is a carelessly -built affair constructed of long grass and root 
fibres, and lined with any soft substance that grows handy. 
As in the case of the chaffinch, the nest is generally built at 
the top of the tree, and attached to a branch with cobwebs, &c. 
Twice a year it lays five or six tiny grey eggs, splashed with 
purple at the larger end. 
During its winter sojourn hi England it invariably seeks a 
neighbourhood where the alder -tree abounds ; so boys who are 
lucky enough to live near the alders may obtain almost any 
number of siskins, as of all birds he is easiest to catch. You 
may have either a redpole or a linnet for a decoy, and by sur- 
rounding his cage with limed sticks take siskins by the dozen; 
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