THE GKEENFINCH. 
perch, near the bottom of the cage will instantly bring down the 
door to its proper position. 
Hang the trap-cage to a tree adjoining that in which the 
nest is. Then climb the tree, take the nest of fledglings (if 
possible, before the eyes of the old birds), and place it in the 
trap-cage, with the trap, of course, set. Then you can go for 
a short walk, and when you return you are almost certain to 
find parents and fledglings in the trap -cage together, the trap 
down, and the whole ready to carry home. Of course this has 
been brought about by the brave affection of the old birds, who 
have followed their little ones into captivity that they may 
feed them. 
How, if you happen to have a garden hi which there is a big 
tree, you may straightway carry home your prize, and hang it 
amongst the boughs — being quite sure there are no cats in the 
neighbourhood. If you have not got a garden and a tree, then 
hang up your trap -cage with its contents in a light airy room, 
and fill the seed-box with a mixture of green barley, turnip - 
seed, hemp, and linseed. If there is not much commotion in 
the room, you may, after the first day or two, lift the trap of 
the cage, and let the old birds stretch their limbs by flying 
about, — never fear but they will return to the cage when the' 
little birds require them. When the fledglings have attained! 
sufficient strength, they too will delight in hopping from the 
cage, and trying their wings by short flights from one article of 
furniture to another in the chamber. 
In a short time the old as well as the young birds will have' 
got habituated to indoor living, and when the snow is on the 
ground you may safely open the window. Do not be alarmed 
because they all immediately fly out ; they will certainly return 
when they have discovered how dreadfully cold it is, and that 
there are no such things as brimming seed-boxes lying about. 
If, however, they should be tardy in returning, a singing linnet, 
hung at the open window, will speedily call back the truants. 
If you bring nestling greenfinches up by hand you may feed 
them (carefully, for they are as ravenous as young blackbirds) 
■with a mixture of white bread scalded with milk, and the lean 
of raw mutton, shredded to atoms. If placed under the canary, 
the goldfinch, or the chaffinch, they will learn the song of 
either with great facility. Another favourable characteristic 
of the greenfinch is that what he once learns he seldom or never 
forgets. 
The hen differs from the cock-bird inasmuch as she is 
158 
