16 THE BULLFINCH.

cultivated grounds, and feeds on seeds, winter berries,
etc. In the spring it frequents gardens, where it is
usefully busy in destroying the worms which are lodged
in the tender buds. The female makes her nest in
bushes: it is composed chiefly of moss. She lays five
or six eggs, of a dull bluish white, marked at the larger
end with dark spots. In the wild state its note is very
simple, but when kept in a cage, its song, though in
an under subdued tone, is far from being unpleasant.
Both male and female may be taught to whistle a variety
of tunes They are frequently imported into this country
from Germany, where they are taught to articulate with
great distinctness, several words.”

Sir William Parsons, who was himself a great mu-
sician, has recorded an interesting story of one of these
birds. When he was a young man he had a piping
bullfinch, which had been taught to sing ‘God save the
King.’ Having occasion to go abroad, he left the bullfinch
in charge of his sister, with strict injunction to take the
greatest possible care of it. On his return, he at once
visited his sister, when she told him that his favourite
little bird had been for some time in feeble and declin-
ing health, and at that very time was extremely ill.
Sir William, much concerned for it, went to the room
where the cage was, and having opened the door, put
his hand in, and spoke to the bird. It remembered his
voice, shook its feathers, hopped faintly on to his finger,
piped for the last time, like a loyal bird, as it must
have been, ‘God save the King,’ and immediately after
fell down dead.