plantain, or chickweed, for instance, which all birds love — to be given them as dainties; so they always expected something nice, and would fly out of their cages and all round the room in their joy as soon as we opened the doors, returning to perch on the hand, shoulder or head when they wanted their food. The greenfinches were very bold birds, and as familiar as pos- sible. They were great eaters, and very eager for their favor- ite food, so they always welcomed us very heartily; but we did not prize their affection so much as that of the linnets, which were naturally more shy and retiring, and required more court- ing and petting. They are very nice pets, and become very much attached to their owner, and their song is very sweet; but if kept in confinement they never acquire the red poll and breast which ought to distinguish the male bird in full plum- age. They are fond of flax or linseed, but they must not have much of it or they will grow very fat. Canary and rape-seed should be the principal food both of linnets and greenfinches. Goldfinch. — The goldfinch is a universal favorite, both from its beauty and sprightliness; it is very restless in a cage, and therefore, it hardly appears as contented as some less active birds; but it will live many years in confinement, and in an aviary is as happy as possible. It ought not to have a bell- shaped cage, as it is apt to grow giddy, twirling its beak along the wires. It is very easily tamed, and is capable of great at- tachment to its owner, and may generally be safely allowed a flight round the room while its cage is being cleaned. We had one which would fly across the room as soon as its cage door was opened, and perch on our shoulder for its favorite food of hemp-seed. It is rather fond of eating, and takes so much ex- ercise that it requires plenty of food. It will not sing without a few hemp-seeds in the day,but it must not be fed solely upon this heating seed. Canary, rape, and poppy-seed should be the ordinary food of goldfinches. Lettuce, groundsel, chickweed, and water-cress, they should have frequently, and plantain in the winter; in the wild state they feed much on thistle-seed, and they should often have a thistle-head given to them, to pick the seeds out of it for themselves. They ought not to have sugar or sweet cakes, but they exceedingly enjoy a treat of bis- cuit, and Reading cracknels are very wholesome for them, and 1X)MJESTIC PETS. 5i3^ thoroughly appreciated by goldfinches, bullfinches, and cana- ries. The goldfinch is a very tractable bird, and there are many accomplishments which he will learn, and seems to exhibit with pleasure. He may be taught to fire off a small cannon, to feign death, and stand unmoved while fireworks are let off close to him, to mount a ladder, &c. ; but when these tricks are made use of by his master to exhibit in public for pay, he is often treated with cruelty to make him a proficient in them. Many very harmless accomplishments he will learn, however, merely by patience and kindness on the part of his master — to open a box for his seed, to ring a bell when he wants food, to drag a little wagon up an inclined plane into his cage, and to draw up water from a little well underneath it. All these are easily taught, and the bird really seems to find pleasure in such little tasks.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

plantain, or chickweed, for instance, which all birds love — to be given them as dainties; so they always expected something nice, and would fly out of their cages and all round the room in their joy as soon as we opened the doors, returning to perch on the hand, shoulder or head when they wanted their food. The greenfinches were very bold birds, and as familiar as possible. They were great eaters, and very eager for their favorite food, so they always welcomed us very heartily; but we did not prize their affection so much as that of the linnets, which were naturally more shy and retiring, and required more courting and petting. They are very nice pets, and become very much attached to their owner, and their song is very sweet; but if kept in confinement they never acquire the red poll and breast which ought to distinguish the male bird in full plumage. They are fond of flax or linseed, but they must not have much of it or they will grow very fat. Canary and rape-seed should be the principal food both of linnets and greenfinches. Goldfinch. — The goldfinch is a universal favorite, both from its beauty and sprightliness; it is very restless in a cage, and therefore, it hardly appears as contented as some less active birds; but it will live many years in confinement, and in an aviary is as happy as possible. It ought not to have a bellshaped cage, as it is apt to grow giddy, twirling its beak along the wires. It is very easily tamed, and is capable of great attachment to its owner, and may generally be safely allowed a flight round the room while its cage is being cleaned. We had one which would fly across the room as soon as its cage door was opened, and perch on our shoulder for its favorite food of hemp-seed. It is rather fond of eating, and takes so much exercise that it requires plenty of food. It will not sing without a few hemp-seeds in the day,but it must not be fed solely upon this heating seed. Canary, rape, and poppy-seed should be the ordinary food of goldfinches. Lettuce, groundsel, chickweed, and water-cress, they should have frequently, and plantain in the winter; in the wild state they feed much on thistle-seed, and they should often have a thistle-head given to them, to pick the seeds out of it for themselves. They ought not to have sugar or sweet cakes, but they exceedingly enjoy a treat of biscuit, and Reading cracknels are very wholesome for them, and DOMESTIC PETS. 513 thoroughly appreciated by goldfinches, bullfinches, and canaries. The goldfinch is a very tractable bird, and there are many accomplishments which he will learn, and seems to exhibit with pleasure. He may be taught to fire off a small cannon, to feign death, and stand unmoved while fireworks are let off close to him, to mount a ladder, &c. ; but when these tricks are made use of by his master to exhibit in public for pay, he is often treated with cruelty to make him a proficient in them. Many very harmless accomplishments he will learn, however, merely by patience and kindness on the part of his master — to open a box for his seed, to ring a bell when he wants food, to drag a little wagon up an inclined plane into his cage, and to draw up water from a little well underneath it. All these are easily taught, and the bird really seems to find pleasure in such little tasks.

The housekeeper's companion