i68 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



most favourable circumstances, these ori- 

 ginal " nest-feathers " wiil appear a yellow- 

 ish-green in comparison with the golden 

 glory of the new ones. This diiTerciice in 

 colour was not so niarkctl in the olden 

 time before colour-feeding came into vogue, 



ness, rendered necessary by tiie circum- 

 stances in wiiich they arc placed. We have 

 not the slio'litcst intention ol' 



Tailing and 

 Flighting 



entering on this (jucstiou, 

 though our idea of what is in- 

 cluded ill the nfitiun of subjection is very 



THE GOLDEN-CRESTED WREN. 

 A brilliant bit of Nature's coloration. 



i)iit c\(ii then l)rc{'dcrs. in Ihcir cndcavoui' broad. Il coniprciunils, lio\\(\-ei'. nol Ihc 

 lo make liic iiiosl of the bird, were accus- \-cstigc of an idea of al)nsc of ])o\ver for scHish 

 tomcd to pull out Ihc (lights and tails of ends, and \vc fail to liud any justification in 

 Ihcir young birds before placing llicin in our own iiiind lor ccrhiiu opcral ions which, 

 their nioulliiit;' caL;'cs, in oi'dei' thai I he\' doubllcss originating in abuse, nol use, 



of power ^villlolll au\' ncrcssari/ end in 

 \ic\v. have conu'. in Ihc course of lime, to 

 i)c regarded l)y scnsil)ilities bliiiiled b>' 

 l'r<(]iicnt <'ontact with <]iicsti()nablc ]>rac- 

 I ices as things nol woiili a Ihought. It is 

 iusi this \-cry want of Ihought that keeps 

 them alive. 



might be pill oil ail cipiality with adult 

 birds and lia\(' the op|)(>rtuiiity of develop- 

 ing a deci>er coioui'. 



There are many o])era,iioiis pcrlormcil on 

 animals under subjection lo man which, 

 to the superficial observer. sa\()ur of 

 cruelty, but \vhich are really acts of kind- 



