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enough I only saw them being fed once, and that was when they

were considerably older. All four birds looked strong and

healthy, though one had its toes curled up, but apart from this

defect it looked perfectly well; they all learnt to fly very soon.

For eleven days the little family flourished, and then one young

one began to look ruffled and ill. Some olive oil seemed to do it

good, but it died rather suddenly a day or two later. (Dr.

Butler very kindly reported ou it—see page 36 of present

volume).


To add to my misfortunes, a second young one suddenly

lost all power of flight, and could not even get on the perch. It

was a very fine bird, and looked in the best of health. So now

out of the four I had only one perfect bird left, for the third

seemed crippled, though looking otherwise quite healthy.


I came to the conclusion that I had better let them all

loose in the aviary, so turned them out of the cage and took

down the nest. It was very dirty inside, and full of red mite,

and several small insects, very shiny and black. There was one

old egg in the nest, and one fresh one. The eggs are pure

white, very pretty, rounded at each end, and about the size of a

green pea.


The Orange-cheeks were delighted to get their liberty, and

at once flew into the branches. I tied a long bare branch from

the floor to one of the upper boughs, and in this way the little

one who could not fly managed to climb up and join the others-

It was very pretty to see the old birds encouraging it, and

showing it the way. Sometimes when it was patient it got up

without mishap, but sometimes it would try and go too fast and

tumble off, when, like King Bruce’s spider, it would have to try

again.


Occasionally I caught it, and put it with its family amidst

much rejoicing. I put a little nest-box filled with hay and

feathers on the floor, and the delicate young ones (who kept

much together) frequently used it to nestle and sleep in. Of

course, during the first few days I turned off the running

water ; and also, when they first left the nest, I took away the

bath, for fear they should fall in and be drowned.


About a month after they left the nest, I lost the young

bird with the crippled feet. I was in the aviary at the time, and

heard something fall behind me, and on turning round found the

poor little thing dead on the floor. Only a minute before it had

looked perfectly well, and its feet had much improved, and were

getting quite strong and straight. It was a very bonnie little



