92 GOLDFINCH.

become in a few weeks as familiar with its keeper as
if it had been brought up by him from its youth.
As if conscious of its beauty, it delights, when in
captivity, to view itself in a mirror, which, to gratify
this propensity, is sometimes fixed in its cage. Its food
consists of the seeds of thistles and other plants.

Montagu observes that the goldfinch is subject to
some variety in confinement; and also that “a variety
is sometimes taken by the bird-catchers, with white spots
under the throat; and such is termed a cheverel.”
The female does not differ much in plumage from the
male bird, but the smaller coverts of the wing are not
so black. The young birds are brown about the head
for some time after they have been able to leave the
nest; and are sometimes, therefore, known by the name
of grey-pates.

Many anecdotes are related of the intelligence and
docility of the goldfinch, which can be taught to perform
a variety of tricks, such as letting off a small cannon,
feigning itself dead, drawing up buckets of water, ete.;
but no lover of nature will care for any such unnatural
and forced exhibitions.