The others of this genus in the United States are the pine grosbeak, the blue grosbeak, the rose-breasted grosbeak, the evening grosbeak, and the spotted grosbeak.

THE BULFINCH1

Is one of the most common of European birds. When at its full growth it measures, from the point of the bill to the end of the tail, six inches, of which the tail is two. It has a short black bill, very strong and crooked, the upper part hanging over the under side, like that of a hawk; the tongue is short, and the eyes of a hazel color; the head and neck in proportion to the body are larger than in the generality of small birds, from which, most probably, they derived their name. In some places they are called ropes; in others, thick-bills, and in some red-hoops, or tony-hoops, probably from their wild hooping kind of note.

The bulfinch makes its nest of an ordinary mean fabric, in bushes, in which the female lays four or five eggs of a bluish color, with dark brown and reddish spots. The nest so closely resembles the surrounding foliage in color, that it is not easily to be discovered. In the summer it mostly frequents woods, and the more retired places; but in winter it approaches gardens and orchards, where in spring it makes great havoc among the buds of trees. It is probable, however, that it attacks the buds for the sake of the included insects.

The cock is in size equal to the hen, but has a flatter crown, and excels her in the beauty of his colors. In a state of nature, this bird has but three cries, all of which are unpleasant; but if man designs to instruct it methodically, and accustoms it to fine, mellower, and more lengthened strains, it will listen with attention; and the docile bird, whether male or female, without relinquishing its native airs, will imitate exactly, and sometimes even surpass, its master. It also learns to articulate words and sentences.

THE EUROPEAN LINNET.2

THIS favorite bird, which is universally admired for the melody of its voice, is in length, from the point of the bill to the end of the tail, five

1 Loria vulgaris, LIN.

2 Fringilla cannabina, LIN. The genus Fringilla has the bill short, stout, straight, and conical; upper mandible gibbous, depressed above, a little inclined at the point; nostrils basal, round, placed near the forehead, and partially concealed by the feathers in front; tarsus shorter than the middle toe, and the fore toes entirely divided; wings short, the third and fourth quills the longest; tail of varied form.

inches and a half; the bill is a bluish gray; the eyes are hazel; the upper parts of the head, neck, and back, are of a dark reddish brown, the edges of the feathers pale; the under parts are of a dirty reddish white; the breast is deeper than the rest, and in spring becomes a very beautiful crimson, except in the female, whose breast is marked with only stripes of brown; the sides are spotted with brown likewise; the tail is brown, with white edges, except the two middle feathers, which have reddish margins; it is somewhat forked; the legs are brown.

The linnet is so much esteemed for the sweetness of his singing, that, by many persons, he is thought to excel all small birds. He has certainly a curious fine note of his own, little inferior to the most celebrated birds, and may be taught likewise to pipe or whistle the song of any other bird; but, as his own is so good, that trouble is unnecessary. He is, however, very apt in learning, and if brought up from the nest, will take the woodlark's or canary bird's song to perfection. In some instances he has been said to pronounce words with great distinctness.

The cock linnet may be known, either old or young, by two marks; first, the feathers on his back are much browner than those of the hen; secondly, by the white on the three or four longest feathers of the wing; if it appear clear, bright, and broad, and reach up to the quills, it is a true sign of a cock bird, for the white in the wing of the hen is much less, fainter, and narrower. In spring, too, as we have already mentioned, the breast of the cock is crimson.

These birds commonly build in a thick bush or hedge, and sometimes among furze, bushes, &c., making a small, pretty nest; the outside of bents, dried weeds, and straw, and the bottom all matted together; the inside of fine soft wool, mixed with down stuff, gathered from dried plants, with a few horse-hairs, made exceedingly neat and warm; on which she lays four, and sometimes five, white eggs, with fine red specks, especially at the blunt end; and has young ones by the middle of April or beginning of May. They are particularly fond of linseed, from which, it is supposed, they derive their name.

THE CANARY FINCH.1

THIS well known bird came originally from the Canary Islands, where they are still found in a wild state, as well as at the Cape Verd and Madeira Islands. In its native islands, a region equally noted for the beauty of its landscapes and the harmony of its groves, the canary bird is of a dusky gray color, and so different from those usually seen in Europe, that some

1 Fringilla Canaria, LIN.

have even doubted whether it be of the same species. With us, they have that variety of coloring usual in all domestic fowls; some white, some mottled, some beautifully shaded with green; but they are more esteemed for their note than their beauty, having a high, piercing pipe, as indeed all those of the finch tribe have, continuing it for some time in one breath without intermission, then raising it higher and higher by degrees, with great variety. The canary will breed freely with the goldfinch and linnet, and the produce is a beautiful bird, called a Mule.

The canary finch is a social and familiar bird, and is capable of contracting an attachment for the person to whom it belongs. It will perch on the shoulder of its mistress, and peck its food from her hand or her mouth. It is also capable of being taught still more extraordinary feats. In 1820, a Frenchman exhibited four and twenty Canary Birds in London, many of which, he said, were from eighteen to twenty-five years of age. Some of these balanced themselves, head downward, on their shoulders, having their legs and tails in the air. One of them, taking a slender stick in its claws, passed its head between its legs, and suffered itself to be turned round, as if in the act of being roasted. Another balanced itself, and was slung backward and forward on a kind of slack rope. A third was dressed in military uniform, having a cap on its head, wearing a sword and pouch, and carrying a firelock in one claw; after some time sitting upright, this bird, at the word of command, freed itself from its dress, and flew away to the cage. A fourth suffered itself to be shot at, and falling down, as if dead, to be put into a little wheelbarrow, and wheeled away by one of its comrades; and several of the birds were at the same time placed upon a little firework, and continued there quietly, and without alarm, till it was discharged.

THE AMERICAN LINNET, OR PURPLE
FINCH.1

THIS bird, owing to its change of color, has been described frequently as a different species. It is six inches in length. All the upper parts of the male are dark crimson. The female is of a brown olive color, streaked with black and white. The young are of the same color with the female, but the males gradually attain their full crimson plumage. These birds come to us in large flocks from the north, and feed on the seeds of poplar, buttonwood, juniper, and cedar trees. When the season is very severe, they proceed to the south as far as Georgia. In the spring they feed on apple and cherry blossoms.

The song of the purple finch is uncommonly sweet and voluble, surpassing even that of the European linnet. It is remarkable that the nest

1 Fringilla purpurea, GMEL.

of this bird has never yet been seen by any naturalist, although they breed in the United States. Mr Audubon saw them feeding their young, who could not have been more than a few days old. The same author informs us that they frequently associate with the common crossbills.

THE SONG SPARROW.1

THE song sparrow is the most generally diffused over the United States, and is the most numerous of all our sparrows; and it is far the earliest, sweetest, and most lasting songster. Many of them remain during the whole winter in close sheltered meadows and swamps. It is the first singing bird in spring. Its song continues through the summer and fall, and is sometimes heard even in the depths of winter. The notes or chant are short but very sweet, and frequently repeated, from a small bush or tree, where it sits chanting for an hour together. It is fond of frequenting the borders of rivers, meadows and swamps; and if wounded and unable to fly, will readily take to the water, and swim with considerable rapidity.

The song sparrow builds in the ground under a tuft of grass; the nest is formed of dry grass and horse-hair. It sometimes also builds in a cedar tree, five or six feet from the ground. It is six inches and a half long, and is of a chesnut color, marked and streaked with dirty white; the breast is spotted with pointed spots of chesnut.

THE CHIPPING SPARROW 2

Is, perhaps, more generally known, and more familiar and domestic even, than the preceding species. He inhabits the city in summer, building in the branches of the trees in the streets and gardens, and gleaning up crumbs from the yard and door. This sociable habit, which continues chiefly during summer, is a singular characteristic. Towards the end of the summer, he takes to the fields and hedges, until the weather becomes severe, when he departs for the south. The chipping bird builds his nest most commonly in a bush, and lines it with cow hair. This little bird is five inches and a quarter long; the frontlet is black, crown chesnut, the upper parts are variegated with black and chesnut, and the under parts pale ash.

1 Fringilla melodia, WILSON.

Fringilla socialis, WILSON.

THE FIELD SPARROW1

Is the smallest of all our sparrows, and frequents dry fields covered with long grass, builds a small nest on the ground at the foot of a bush, and lines it with horse-hair. It has no song, but a kind of chirruping not much different from the chirpings of a cricket. There are multitudes of these little birds in North and South Carolina and Georgia. When disturbed, they take to the bushes, clustering so close together that a dozen may be shot at a time. This bird is five inches and a quarter in length; the upper parts are chesnut and black.

THE INDIGO BIR D2

Is numerous in the middle and eastern states, and in the Carolinas and Georgia. It is also known in Mexico and Nova Scotia. Its favorite haunts are about gardens, fields of clover, borders of woods, and roadsides, where it is frequently seen perched on fences. In its manners it is extremely neat and active, and a vigorous and pretty good songster. It mounts to the tops of the highest trees, and chants for half an hour at a time. Its song is not one continued strain, but a repetition of short notes, commencing loud and rapid, and falling by slow gradations till they seem hardly articulate, as if the little minstrel were quite exhausted; but after a pause of half a minute, it commences again as before. He sings with as much animation under the meridian sun in July as in the month of May, and continues his song till August. His usual note when alarmed, is a sharp chip. It feeds on insects and seeds.

Notwithstanding the beauty of his plumage, the vivacity of his song, the indigo bird is seldom seen domesticated. Its nest is built in a low bush, among ra ik grass, grain, or clover; suspended by two twigs, one passing up each side, and is composed of flax, and lined with grass. This bird is five inches long, the whole body of a rich sky blue, deepening in color toward the head, and sometimes varying to green.

THE YELLOW-BIRD, OR GOLDFINCH3

BEARS a great resemblance to the canary, and in song is like the goldfinch of Britain, but it is in general so weak as to appear to proceed from a dis

1 Fringilla pusilla, WILSON.

* Fringilla cyanea, WILSON.

3 Fringilla tristis, LIN.