s GOLDFINCH.
weather was favourable, ami caught a mirabcr of Bullfinches and. several Goldfinches; the former generally
moved about in parties of five or six, though never above a pair of Goldfinches were Been, and more frequently
solitary cock birds. I had several, perhaps half a dozen, different places suitable for Setting my nets, and the
morning seldom passed at any of them without one or more of this species being noticed, if not caught. I well
remember on one occasion my best male call-bird made bis escape, owing to the net becoming entangled in the
fastening wire and opening the door or his cage. Though at liberty, he showed no inclination to take bis
departure, but remained busily engaged in cleaning his plumage in a fence at the side of a plantation about
twenty yards distant, and a few minutes alter a fresh-caught bird had been placed in the net, he Hew down to
some thistles and was at once secured again. The numbers found at Ibis season will show that though seldom
met with in large flocks, Goldfinches do not entirely desert our shores in winter; I have also observed them in
small parties in the plantations round some of the larger Broads in the east of Norfolk. Under the date of
December 1881, while shooting at Bolter Heigham.it is entered in my notes that at least twenty of this species, in
company with as many Siskins, were watched working their nay through the woods adjoining lleigham Sounds.
Though not feeding together, the Siskins invariably keeping to the alders, while the Goldfinches confined their
attentions to the rough hark of the stunted and moss-grown oaks, each party, I remarked, kept the other in
sight and immediately joined in company when a lengthened flight to auother plantation was undertaken.
The beautiful and neatly built nest of the Goldfinch somewhat resembles that of the Chaffinch ; but the
materials arc finer and more cleverly interwoven, no conspicuous lichens being used in its construction.
A brood of five in my collection, taken from their cradle in an apple-tree hi a garden at Iliekliog in June 1873,
just as they were on the point of leaving, proved very useful to compare with their parents obtained at the
same time. The young in their first plumage appear to differ little from the old birds, w it 1» the exception that
the black and lovely crimson markings on the heads are wanting. While exhibiting this deficiency the juveniles
are generally termed " Grey-pates " by the professional bird-catchers and dealer-, that appellation having been
bestowed on them on account of the colouring of the feathers on those parts.
I n the east of Norfolk I learned that the marshnicn invariably spoke of this species as the " Draw-water,"
evidently bestowing this title on account of the habit it occasionally acquires in confinement of drawing up a
small bucket by means of a chain to supply itself with water. While living- in Yorkshire manv years ago I
heard these birds called •' Captains " by the country people in the neighbourhood of Duncaster.