142 BIRD-KEEPER'S MANUAL. 



rience, to be injurious to the young birds, espe- 

 cially when moulting. If you use cages, hang 

 them on the wall opposite the windows, where 

 they will have the early sunshine longest ; this 

 is much better than hanging them on the roof or 

 near the window. 



PAIRING. 



If the weather is mild you may put your birds 

 together about the first of March. Those that 

 are intended to be bred in a room had better be 

 put in a cage for ten or twelve days to pair ; they 

 may pair before that time. Those who are not 

 familiar with birds, may know that they are 

 paired by seeing them feed each other. They 

 may then be turned into the room, where there 

 are nesting places provided for them. You need 

 not be alarmed if they should fight a little, as 

 those fighting birds generally breed the best. I 

 have seen a female keep the male down in the 

 bottom of the cage for a couple of days, and not 

 allow him to get on a perch. She would sit on 

 the top perch, stooping down, with her wings half 

 stretched like a hawk, and if he should dare to 

 come any nearer to her, by even getting on the 

 lower perch, she would pounce on him like a 

 Falcon on its prey, and knock him down to his 



