Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/475

 4SJ We have the gold- finch with us in the southern counties through- out the year, but large quantities migrate hither from the Conti- nent each spring. Br igh t red feathers on the front of the head and under the beak are more common and brighter in the male bird than in the female. The black band on the head is inclined to be brownish on the female, and the white A chaffinch and a goldfinch. The goldfinch is at once the most popular the most beautiful, and the best songster of the finches feathers on the face are not so pure. The young birds have grey feathers on their heads and no red ones, and are commonly known as " grey pates." The nest of the goldfinch, which is found about the middle of May, is a very beautiful one, and finished with great care. In many respects it is similar to that of the chaffinch, and is usually made of lichen, moss, and fine twigs, and the interior lined with hair and wool, in which four or five eggs are laid of greyish white, streaked and spotted with brown. The Qoldfinch in Confinement The goldfinch has been bred successfully in confinement with the canary for many years. The male birds thus produced are very handsome, and make excellent songsters. Hybrids of the goldfinch and bullfinch have also been bred, the progeny being birds of very rich and gaudy colouring. The bullfinch {Pyrrhula Euro- pcea) is another great favourite with lovers of birds, and it is a bird which soon can be made into a pet. It is found in all parts of England and in manv parts ofScotlanci, their favourite haunts being in orchards, where, in the spring, they attack the buds of the trees. The colouring of the cock is very handsome, cheeks and breast being of a pinky red, with jet black feathers on head, wings, and tail, and the back and shoulders a delicate grey, with a patch of pure whitj feathers on the lower part, which is very conspicuous when the bird is flying. The hen differs from the cock in plumage, and in having a grey breast instead of red. The natural song of the bullfinch is a soft " piping," which is quite different from that of other finches. Some birds are taught to pipe different tunes, especially in Germany. The nest is not so compact, and more shallow than those of the other finches ; it is generally made of small twigs and fine roots lined with hair; the eggs (four) are of a very pretty blue, streaked and speckled with purplish-grey. To be continued. iii As ^^^ not THE PUG His Ancestry — ** Points " — Various Breeds— Some Famous Dogs— Advice to Would-be Purchasers coat and breath are free from any sort of unpleasant odour, his size is suitable for the average house or flat, and his short coat does not require the grooming and attention of the Pekinese and other long-haired toys now in vogue. The Points of a Pujr The popular idea of the pug seems, un- happily, to be that of an obese, panting, and more or less snappy little beast. Any truth that may lurk in this fallacy only proves that the pug, like the rest of us, has " the defects of his qualities." Treated on rational principles, he is a merry, cheery creature, full of affection, and an alert house-dog. True, he has a tendency to- wards embonpoint beyond most small dogs, but careful dieting and sufl&cient exercise will keep him in good trim. Like many short-nosed dogs, he has a habit of snorting and snuffling if he contracts a cold. It is necessary, therefore, to see that he is pro- tected from draughts, and at the same time to keep him as hardy and fit as possible. nPiME was when the pug reigned supreme in Mayfair. Npw*, however, his place has been usurped by other breeds; but still the pug has many adherents, and at no time have his interests been more jealously guarded. Has he not clubs to see to his representation and secure the awarding to him of " specials " at our great shows ? In history he claims a most respectable ancestry, even if, like that of many another noble family, somewhat shrouded in the mists of time. Some ascribe his origin to Holland (for at one time he was termed the Dutch pug) ; others, with no clear proof, to Russia. And, again, so great an authority as Mr. Fred Gresham inclines to trace his descent to China, alleging that from that flowery land have come most of the toys that curl their tails and blunt their noses. Be all this as it may, he is here to stay, Tlie Pug as a Pet As a pet, the pug has many merits, not the least of which are the facts that his