THIS is the most beautiful of our hard-billed small birds, whether we consider its color, its elegance, or the music of its note. Indeed, it is almost as great a favorite as its cousin, the Bullfinch. The latter bird, as we saw, is greatly prized because of its powers of imitation—it can be taught to whistle almost any tune. The Goldfinch is valued not only for its song and its great beauty, but because, amongst other things, it can be taught to perform a great number of amusing little tricks. Indeed, there have been wonderful exhibitions of how many antics both the Goldfinch and the Linnet could be taught. A writer on birds tells us of the following:—"One appeared as if dead, and was held up by the tail or claw without exhibiting any signs of life. A second stood on its head with its claws in the air; a third imitated a Dutch milk-maid going to market, with pails on its shoulders; a fourth imitated a Venetian girl looking out of a window; a fifth appearing as a soldier, mounted guard as a sentinel; the sixth acted as a cannoneer, with a cap on its head, a firelock on its shoulder, and a match in its claw, with which it discharged a small cannon. The same bird acted as if it had been wounded. It was wheeled in a barrow, as if to convey it to a hospital; after which it flew away before the company. The seventh turned a kind of windmill; and the last bird stood in the midst of some fireworks, which were discharged all round it, without its exhibiting the slightest symptoms of fear.”
You will not see the Goldfinch every day, except as a prisoner at some cottage door. The best time to find him is on some bright September morning, and the best place near a corn field, just after the rich grain has been cut down and gathered in. There, on some sloping bank, you may find a fine bunch of thistles with some of its feathery seed floating away on the breeze, and plenty still hanging on to the plant. On those thistles, in all probability, you will find a cluster of beautiful little birds, red, yellow, and black, of most elegant shape, feeding away on those downy seeds with evident satisfaction. As they sway about on the slender stems, and their golden wings gleam bright in the sunshine, we at once recognize them as a party of happy Goldfinches pecking away at their favorite dinner. This is one of the many beautiful sights which may be always found in a delightful ramble in the country.
Though the Goldfinch is very shy, it is easily tamed, and manifests much affection towards those who show it kindness.
In its native liberty it sings most delightfully, beginning early in the year, and early in the day too. Its song continues all through the summer, and when other sweet songsters are silent, it is no little pleasure to wake up early and hear its clear, pleasant note.
The Goldfinch has ever been a favorite with the poets, by one of whom he has been thus beautifully addressed:—
“Goldfinch, pride of woodland glade.
In thy jet and gold arrayed;
Gentle bird, that lov'st to feed
On the thistle's downy seed;
Freely frolic, lightly sing,
In the sunbeam spread thy wing!
Spread thy plumage, trim and gay,
Glittering in the noontide ray
As upon the thorn-tree's stem
Perch'd, thou sipp'st the dewy gem,
Fickle bird forever roving,
Endless changes ever loving,
Now in orchards gaily sporting,
Now in flowery fields resorting;
Chasing now the thistle's down,
By the gentle zephyr blown;
Lightly on thou wing'st thy way,
Always happy, always gay.”
The Goldfinch is a great friend to the farmer. His special work seems to be to keep under a class of weeds that, but for him, would soon overrun the fields. He lives chiefly on the seeds of the thistle, the dandelion, grounsel, and many similar plants.
The home of the Goldfinch is one of the most beautiful nests that can be conceived of. It is built at the end of a high branch, but so covered with leaves as not easily to be found. It is elegantly formed of fine moss and fibrous roots for the outer wall, and weaving these materials together in the most artistic manner with spider's webs, then lined first with wool and hair, and then with thistle down. The nest is chiefly, if not exclusively, the work of the female, but her mate sings with great vigor, as if to cheer her during the progress of this labor of love. The brood consists of five or six, which, after they are reared, flock together in little parties, and at night will huddle together with their parents on one perch, as near each other as possible.
The following beautiful lines on two Goldfinches are by Cowper, and show the deep interest he felt in all the creatures of God.
The greenhouse is my summer seat;
My shrubs, displaced from that retreat
Enjoyed the open air.
Two goldfinches, whose sprightly song
Had been their mutual solace long,
Lived happy prisoners there.
They sang as blithe as finches sing
That flutter loose on golden wing
And frolic where they list;
Strangers to liberty, 'tis true,
But that delight they never knew
And therefore never miss'd.
But nature works in every breast
With force not easily suppress'd;
And Dick felt some desires,
That, after many an effort vain,
Instructed him at length to gain
A pass between his wires.
The open windows seemed to invite
The freeman to a farewell flight;
But Tom was still confined;
And Dick, although his way was clear,
Was much too generous and sincere
To leave his friend behind.
So settling on his cage, by play,
And chirp, and kiss, he seemed to say,
You must not live alone.
Nor would he quit that chosen stand
'Till I, with slow and cautious hand,
Returned him to his own.
O ye, who never taste the joys
Of friendship: satisfied with noise,
Fandango, ball, and rout!
Blush, when I tell you how a bird,
A prison with a friend preferred,
To liberty without.
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