THE CHOICE OE A LINNET. 
bird fanciers. If you mean to go nesting, tlie best time of the 
year for the purpose is the first week in May; because the 
brood will be hatched about the middle of April, and the 
nestlings will not. be fit for taking in hand till they are fifteen 
days old. He is a very cunning bird in his wild state, and 
wonderfully clever in hiding his nest ; so, unless you are diligent 
and persevering, don’t go linnet-nesting. He generally builds 
in furze bushes which grow on heaths and commons, in all sorts 
of thick hedges that border grass fields, and particularly in sloe 
bushes and among the bristling foliage of “ may ” or white- 
thorn. The nest is small and compact, and composed chiefly 
of dried grass and moss. The eggs are very light blue, speckled 
at the larger end with small red spots. 
Of all birds, there is none so hard to snare as the linnet ; 
indeed, “ as shy as a linnet” is a bye-saying with bird- 
catchers. As these gentry say, “ there is nothing about ’em 
to work on.” They are neither inquisitive, like the robin; 
pugnacious, like the chaffinch ; nor greedy, like the siskin ; and 
they seem to scent “ trap ” as quickly as crows seem to scent 
gunpowder. The only snare I can recommend is that which is 
made by tying limed hazel twigs to the stalks of lettuces that 
have run to seed. The bird is passionately fond of lettuce- 
seed, and by the above means I have seen great numbers of 
linnets taken. Another way is to pull up the lettuce-stalks, 
and, spreading a “ clap-net ” on a common in the vicinity of 
furze bushes, to plant the sticks in the ground between the 
meshes of the net. 
If, however, you prefer purchasing them, be careful to what 
dealer you go ; however, if you carefully follow the following 
directions, you will successfully circumvent the birdseller, be he 
ever such a cheat. In the first place, choose a bird that stands 
bold and upright on his perch ; not a bird that crouches down, 
so that half his legs are hidden by his body. Let it have a 
broad flat head, and see that its feathers are sleek and smooth. 
Look particularly to its tail ; if the feathers of that appendage 
are whole and sound, the bird has a good temper ; if, on the 
contrary, his tail is scrubby and ragged, don’t buy him, for 
he has a bad temper; and a bad-tempered bird, like a bad- 
tempered boy, is never “ worth his salt,” as the saying is. 
Having satisfied yourself as to the appearance of the bird, 
make certain of its sex. Take it in your hand, and spread out 
the wing. If it is a cock-bird, you will find four or five of the 
feathers edged with snowy white, which is continued up to the 
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