The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1885-03-19
Goldflnches, and How to Train Them.


The goldfinch is one of the most in
teresting OF bird pets. II is native Of
Europe, but large numbers are brought
to this country, and may be purchased
from any bird fancier. II is constantly
ia motion, and its song. though not
powerful, is remarkably sweet Besides
this, it is a hardy little creature, is cas-
ily tanned, and soon becomes accus-
toned TO the hand that feeds it.
The favorite food of the goldfnch
when wild is thistle seed, but he may ba
fed on the ordinary seeds used for
birds, and, as a special treat, the seed
pods of the common groundsel may be
given TO him. AS a cage-bird the gold
finch stands in the first rank. He should
have q roomy habitation wherein he can
disport himself, and, if properly man
aged, be allowed to fly out now and
then to stretch his wings. In very
little while he will display no alarm,
but will hop about the table in search
of any food which may take his fancy.
A goldfinch may be trained to va
riety of tricks Among others, he will
pull up little bucket of water from a
tiny well, or draw up slope to within
his reach small cart containing seed.
These interesting performances may
be taught as follows: The little cart
which runs upon the inclined strip OF
wood has string attached to it, and the
little water-bucket is in like manner sus-
pended from the perch, and rests in the
miniature well below To teach the
tricks quickly there should be another
and a longer string fastened to the cart,
and held by a person some distance of
and out OF sight When the bird is dis
posed to eat, the cart should be steadily
drawn up toward him, and when he has
taken few seeds it should be lowered
away little, whereupon he will try
with his feet to hold the string, and to
pull up the cart little higher. until at
last he will use his beak and feet To-
ge'her, and become master of the trick.
With the water.bucket similar course
is taken, but where one does not wi h
to devote SO much time to the teaching,
the little cart can be fastened ct first
within reach, conta ming but few seeds.
Then it can be moved a little farther off,
a few more era n being put in, and o
on. The task is thus left mainly to the
bird. who moves the cart nearer and
nearer, until he has accustomed him elf
to draw it up, as.
Some persons keep goldfnches on
perches chained TO one of the supports
by the leg. This is cruelty, and can not
be approved OF. 1t is not unusual to see
this bird upon perch fixed to a board
to which the little seed cart is drawn
from an incline near by; but we consid-
er this bad arrangement, because the
little fellow has what is commonly
called a brace around his body, which
is so fixed that he Is able only to hop
down from the perch to the board to
come to the string by which he pulls up
his tiny cart; and in addition to this,
the brace must produce considerable ir-
ritation. The same object can be ac-
complished. as already described, with
in a cage, where the bird has freedom
of action. }tgi
The goldfinch, in natural state,
builds one of the most graceful and
beautiful nests known. 1t is generally
constructed on the fork of some high
branch, and is swayed hither and thith-
er by the wind, or the birds motions. so
that the young birds are accustomed to
the rocking and swinging. 1t matters
not to our little friend whether he is on
his head or his heels. When in search
of food he clings to the thistle stems,
pecking away at the downy seeds till
disturbed or satisfied, and then darts off
with merry twitter. To initiate the
natural motion Of the branches there
should be a swing in every cage which
the weight of the bird will move, so as
to produce the swaying notion Har-
per's Young People.