82 



BECREATIVE SCIENCE. 



But a question here naturally presents 

 itself, Are all birds alike sensitive ? Are they 

 all open to these genial influences ? Certainly 

 not. I am sorry to say there are mani/ in- 

 stances in which the power I speak of is 

 inefiectual — quite. Some birds, and other 

 animals, like certain human beings, show no 

 sympathy whatever. Nothing can please, 

 nothing can win, nothing can attract them. 

 We succeed best with them, when we take 

 no notice of them ! Strange, but true. This 

 confirms my remark, that sympathy is the 

 only true magnet. It must be born with us ; 

 or it does not exist. It is a part of our- 

 selves :— 



" The tender violet loves to grow, 

 Within the shade that roses throw; 

 The myrtle bends towards the rose — 

 Behold how God his wisdom shows 

 How nail\ires, formed alike, come nigh. 

 Attracted by sweet sympathy ! " 



It were indeed vain to attempt to unite the 

 two poles ! 



But now to our feathered favourites. 

 Perhaps they have hitherto been treated with 

 neglect, perhaps ill-fed, perhaps exposed to 

 all sorts of weather — their too common fate. 

 Poor little innocents ! Eestore them at once 

 to favour, and redouble your attention to 

 them. It is the least you can do to make 

 amends for your past cruelty. Let them 

 occupy a place in your drawing-room — why 

 not on the table, in a noble, spacious dwell- 

 ing? If they are your friends, don't be 

 ashamed of them. Talk to them, sing to 

 them, play to them. They love to hear the 

 sound of your voice, and they can readily 

 recognize your approaching footstep. A day 

 or two will work wonders. You will soon 

 be able to let your visitors see that your 

 "pets" really a?'e pets — realities, not coun- 

 terfeits. To have a bird, or an animal of ani/ 

 kind, in our house, that does not "love" us i 

 —the idea is quite heathenish. 



The next thing is, to show the power of 

 "Natural Magic" at the breakfast-table. It 

 is here you will find that you possess the 



key to your bird's heart. Invite him regu- 

 larly as your guest, and bid him heartily 

 welcome. " Dicky " must be — shall be — one 

 of our " Happy Family." So place him on 

 the table — every morning. 



Now let us imagine — the morning sacrifice 

 duly paid, and all comfortably seated around 

 the well-spread table with smiling faces — • 

 that we are about to take our grand lesson 

 in Bird-taming. Open the door, or doors, of 

 your little friend's dwelling. Let him see he 

 is invited to be " free." Have ready on the 

 table-cloth some little delicacy in which he 

 delights, such as a sprig of ripe groundsel 

 or flowery chickweed, a wee morsel of egg, 

 or a bit of sponge-cake — above all, his bath. 

 His little majesty will note all that you are 

 doing, and readily resolve in his active mind 

 the meaning of all he beholds. If he has 

 been long neglected and treated with indif- 

 ference, it is just possible he may not realize 

 on the first morning all you expect from him. 

 He will, perhaps, alight on the edge of the 

 open door, look out, survey all that is going 

 forward, and return to his old quarters. The 

 rest of the day he will devote to thinking 

 matters over. That birds do think, I am 

 quite prepared to " prove." 



Next morning, again invite your pet or 

 pets ; again open their doors, again spread 

 before them some tempting luxury. Mark 

 the result ; and let it be decisive evidence that 

 birds have very retentive memories, as well 

 as tenderly-afiectionate hearts. Looking up 

 archly, your little friends will leisurely de- 

 scend from their seat, hop along the table, 

 help themselves to some tid-bit, and stare you 

 boldly — ay, saucily — in the face. They will 

 then show their " consequence," by coquet- 

 tishly approaching close to your tea-cup ; 

 and perhaps, with extended wing, give you 

 battle. A week will accomplish all this — and 

 more. 



The game is now your own. Every morn- 

 ing will add to the tameness of your pets, 

 and their droll audacity will aiford you in- 



