Diseases.—The disorders of this species are the same as those of the siskin; but their feet are oftener diseased, and the toes skin off one after the other. They may be kept from eight to ten years.
Mode of Taking.—In the spring and autumn, the lesser redpoles may be taken in flocks in the area, or barn-floor trap, with a decoy of their own species, or even with a siskin. Many may also be caught with such a decoy on a decoy-bush. They are so silly, or so confiding, that they will even allow themselves to be taken close by the bird-catcher, who is collecting their entrapped companions. This stupidity, or simplicity, is common in all birds that come from the more remote northern parts. Brought up far from man, and out of reach of his pursuit, they know not that fear and distrust which is felt by those that inhabit populous countries. Their call is “peweet” and “crec, creck hewid.”
Attractive Qualities.—The lesser redpole pleases the eye more than the ear; its feeble warbling being only, if I may thus express it, a low continued clicking. It may be taught to draw water more easily than the goldfinch, and it will also learn many other little manœuvres, for it becomes very familiar, and will eat as soon as it is let loose after its capture. The mutual tenderness of the male and female is very pleasing. They are continually caressing each other with their bills, and even do the same to siskins, linnets, goldfinches, and canaries, from which it appears very likely that they would pair with these birds.
THE GOLDFINCH.
Fringilla Carduelis, Linnæus; Le Chardonneret, Buffon; Der Distelfink, Bechstein.
“Beauty of plumage,” says Buffon, “softness of voice, quickness of instinct, remarkable cleverness, proved docility, tender affection, are all united in this delightful little bird; and if it were rare, or if it came from a foreign country, it would then be valued as it deserves.” It is five inches and three quarters in length, of which the tail measures two. The beak, five lines long, very pointed, and rather flattish at the sides, is whitish, with the point horn-coloured. The shanks, six lines high, are delicate and brownish. The front of the head is a fine crimson, sometimes scarlet; a wide border of the same colour surrounds the under base of the beak; the bridle, as it is called, is black; the top of the head is black, which colour extends downwards, from the nape on each side, dividing the white on the cheeks from the white spot on the hinder part of the neck; the under part of the neck is white; the hinder part and the back are fine brown.
The female is rather smaller, and has not so much red round the bill; the bridle is brownish; the cheeks are mixed with light brown; the lesser wing coverts are brown; the back dark brown. The size, or the want of some white spots at the tips of the feathers, do not serve to distinguished the male from the female, as some bird-catchers say; nor ought we either to imagine that the size or number of these spots constitute different varieties; for all these distinctions are accidental, and depend on physical strength and age. Our bird-catchers think the large ones that are nearly the shape of the greater redpole form a distinct species, and they give them the name of Fir Goldfinches, because they say they always build in fir forests. Those that do not exceed the size of the red-breast, they call Orchard Goldfinches, because they suppose they always build in orchards. But these differences and pretences are imaginary, because both are found of different sizes, the orchard goldfinch large, and the fir, or wood goldfinch, quite small. The young ones that are hatched first are always stronger and larger than those hatched last, because they often carry off the food intended for the latter, and, therefore, being better fed, they become larger and stronger. This is sufficient to explain the difference of size in different individuals of the same species.