28 BIRDS EAT THEIR EGGS. 



Cases have been known of raising seven broods in 

 a season. 



*' With cheerful hop from perch to spray. 

 They sport along the meads; 

 In social bliss together stray 

 Where love or fancy leads. 



Through spring's gay scenes each happy pair 



Their fluttering joys pursue ; 

 Its various charms and produce share, 



Forever kind and true." 



Those who raise birds are often annoyed by the 

 male, and sometimes by the female bird 



Eating the Eggs as soon as they are laid: this 

 usually occurs from improper feeding. Birds that 

 are mated require rich food ; and this rich food 

 should be given for three to four weeks previous to 

 mating them. When this is done, it is very rare 

 that the eggs are disturbed. 



The richest and best food for your birds, in addi- 

 tion to their regular mixed seed, — no hemp, — should 

 be the following: one hard-boiled ^^g — the whole 

 ^gg — grated on a coarse horse-radish grater, and 

 one common soft cracker, rolled fine with a rolling- 

 pin, or carefully grated, and then mixed together, 

 and fed to the birds in small quantities at least 

 twice per clay ; and this food must be continued to 

 the old birds until you are through breeding ; and 

 the same food must be continued to the 



Young Birds until they can crack seed, which 

 they can do with ease at the age of six weeks. It 

 is, however, an advantage to soak some rape-seed, 



