preserved egg, but afterwards very little if any egg 

 was eaten, and I think the young were mainly reared 

 on crushed hempseed and green food. Considerable 

 quantities of chickweed and lettuce were consumed, 

 but not very much of anything else. 



The young birds were much like their mother, 

 but greyer and more speckled. One turned out to be 

 a cock and the other a hen. I thought for a few days 

 that the mother would have laid a second time, as she 

 became rather busy with nesting material ; but colder 

 weather set in, and all inclination to nest passed 

 away. 



Next year the same hen hatched two or three 

 young ones— one or two of which, if I recollect 

 rightly, lived to be almost independent of their 

 parents, but died soon after they began to feed them- 

 selves. After this I was very unlucky with the 

 species, and before long my whole stock had died out. 



The Alario Finch is a most attractive bird. 

 Although plainly attired, it is decidedly pretty, and is 

 of a most gentle and confiding disposition. It 

 seems to be naturally fond of human society, and 

 free from that dread of mankind which possesses 

 most birds. 



There is no bird which will sing more in- 

 dustrioush^ than a health}- cock Alario, and his sweet 

 warble is so gentle that even the most sensitive 

 person would not be disturbed by it. He is specially 

 adapted for keeping as a pet in a roomy cage by 

 himself, and under such conditions will speedily become 

 most delightfully tame, and entertain his owner with 

 a cheerful and musical song. 



In the aviary with other birds the Alario Finch is 

 perfectly harmless — but not very capable of defending 

 himself from more aggressive birds. 



