Siskin. j|g£
Fringüla spinus, Linn. Faun. Suec., p. 87.
Linaria spinus, Leach, Sypt. Cat. of Indig. Mamin. & Birds in Brit. Mus.:
Spinus viridis, Koch, Baier. Zool., tom. i. p. 235.
Serinus spinus, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 555.
Carduelis spinus, Steph. Cont. Shaw’s Gen. Zool., voL xiv. p. 3.3.
Chrysomitris spinus, Boie, Isis% 1828, p. 322. yj
Fringüla (Acanthis) spinus, Keys. u. Bias. Wirbelth. Ear., p. 41.
Ir the Siskin be not seen in every district, it is very oumeroas in many parts of the British Islands. Every
lover of our native birds knows where to look for it during the months of autumn, winter, and spring,- and
every birdcateher where to set his net tor the capture of the many thousands required to supply the bird-
shops of London and other large towns; for it is a general favourite with every one. The lady makes it her
pet, and allows it to fly about the room, to sit on her shoulder, and to take seeds from between her ips s
and in a cage it will amuse itself by winding a thread round its perch, or, if the aviary be sufficiently large,
in constructing a nest, depositing its eggs, and rearing its young.
The localities chiefly affected by this harmless little bird are trees on the margins of brooks and streams
and low fluviatile situations generally. The alder is its favourite, and the one upon which it most frequently
displays its delicate and pretty plumage, while creeping and banging to the ends of the smaller branches in
a variety of graceful attitudes. __
The alder, however, is m
with food ; for, like the Go
iu their season, and also dest
tiou no one of oar fnsessor
evincing the »lighti»! fear;
,t the only tree upon which it is found, or the one that solely supplies the Siskin
dfmck, it eats the seeds of the thistle, the dandelion; and of a hundred other plants
ends to the ground for those that have fallen from the larger shrubs. In disposi-
al birds is so tame and confiding: it will allow of the nearest approach without
and if captured by the limed twig of the country-boy, exhibits no sulkiness or
sense of injury, but readily becomes reconciled and friendly.
I have many times met with small troops of Siskins during my rambles through the lovely woods of Taplow
and Cliefden, particularlv in the neighbourhood of the lower road by the Thames-side-, frequently have 1
there seen these little birds picking minute secds.fron, the ground, and from among the fallen leaves, with ,
the same activity that tliev display when clinging overhead to the catkins of the birch or the favourite alder.
In summer the greater number ,,f the Siskins leave the southern and middle parts of England for countries
further north, and the few that remain and breed resort to situations different from those in which they are
usually found. During the summer they have been seen on the commons, and building their nest, inThc
furze, like the Linnet, or in the tree, of the garden, like the Redpole; but the recorded ...stances of its
breeding in this country are only few in number; for that the great mass of these birds
t0 spendg the summer months I am certain. In Scotland it performs tins office much more frequently than
in the central parts of England. 1 could quote many accounts of the finding of its nest ,n England and Scot-
land b u t shad content myself with giving the following short note, by Mr. O P; Cambridge and one or
t l others In a le e r , addressed to Mr. Bond, dated Bloxworth. June SB. 1863 Mr Cambridge says
■■ A Siskin's nest was taken near here in June 1852 from a furze bush ; it was beautifully built of moss, and
thicklv and entirely lined with rabbits’ far. It contained four eggs. . . .
■ Tim breeding of the Siskin in ...» country,'' remarks St, John, »has been much questioned by uatu-
,. .. , C however freouentlv found the nest ip Moray, more especially in those woods where there
2 1 spruce-fir trees of considerable size; but owing to the extreme cunning or caution of the bird in going
to and from the nest, it is no. eaay to make out iu exact position. It is placed on a horizontal branch, towards
the summit or about two-thirds up the tree, and, owing to the thickness of the foliage, and. the smallness of
its size may well escape notice. In some of the woods near Elgin the Siskin breeds regularly and some
numbers The best rime to find the nest is when it is being built, as the birds are more conspicuous and
less on their guard when carrying a feather or a tuft of wool. It is sometimes, though not so frequently,
built in the common Scotch fir", and is the,, also placed on a horizontal breach, at cor.siderv.b e
the ground. The Siskin breeds early. A nest, with five eggs, was taken near Inverness on the lOri. o
I April, and on the 26th we found two, with young ones well-fledged, in ihc w o o d s ncar Locbuabo. l l oug
so wary when at liberty, no bird is more tame and familiar when m ^confinement. ^ j z r e o n j n
Flein showed me a nest, with four young, he had taken only the day . . . . - n r i'
and in the cage with them the two old birds, which had been captured with bird-lime. The female
1