File:Song birds and seasons (1888) (14748197041).jpg

Identifier: songbirdsseasons00theu (find matches)
Title: Song birds and seasons
Year: 1888 (1880s)
Authors: Theuriet, André, 1833-1907
Subjects: Birds
Publisher: Boston : Estes and Lauriat
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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roud of his musical talent, just as he is intenselyvain of his bright colours and brilliant plumage. Heprobably thinks that his beauty excuses him frombemeaning himself with vulgar household cares, and hewhiles away his time in self-indulgence, selfishness andvoluptuous idleness. ^^hen the young ones are fledged and feathered andstrong enough to fly, the whole family takes its flight to the fields. The goldfinch is a high liver, an epicure, fondof choice and savoury seeds. In French this bird is calledchardonneret, that is, a lover of thistles, but in spite ofits name, it does not care for thistles, at least not untilcold weather sets in ; then it is often obliged to be con-tent with such meagre fare. In autumn, these prettybirds start of! in Hocks and go marauding about poppyand rape fields. Of a very quarrelsome disposition,they often have a fight with linnets, who haunt thesame parts, but the goldfinches are generally victorious ;however, they also meet titmice and these birds, with
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T HE U O L 1) F 1 N V H THE GOLDFINCH 39 their sharp pointed bills, are sure to be most formidableadversaries, who cruelly and completely avenge the lin-nets. Turbulent and heedless, ilying low and close to the ground, goldfinches are easily inveigled into thesnares that men, and cspeciallv children, set for them.Beware ! then comes the cage and the humiliating labourof captivity ! The brilliant plumage of the goldfinch makes him aprecious prey for bird-catchers. Proud of his fineappearance, and having the tastes of a high liver, heends his career like those pretty fellows who exchangetheir beautv and poverty for the servitude of a richmarriage. W^ien it is once shut up in its cage, the gold-finch will always find its table spread with an abundantsupply of millet and hempseed, but it has to pay forthis delicate fare by servile manoeuvres. It is taughtto fire a gun and to feign death ; it is obliged tobear straps and to carry small pails of water for filling-its bath. But these are only

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