112 TAMING AND TRAINING. 



without any loss worthy of mention. If our ex- 

 perience is worth any thing, do not hesitate to 

 order ; for the express company will always pur- 

 chase at the point nearest your residence, and get 

 them to you with as little exposure as possible. 



Almost all fanciers take a delight in having their 

 birds so tame that they will not only take their food 

 from the hand, but will readily fly to, and remain 

 with, the person from whom they daily receive atten 

 tion. When wild birds are first caught and placed 

 in a cage, it is not well to begin at once upon their 

 education. It requires some little time for them to 

 become accustomed to their new mode of life : the 

 change of food, together with a diminishing of their 

 usual exercise, so changes the fluids that the bird is 

 not in a healthy condition, and is therefore wholly 

 unfit for mental training. 



There are some birds which seem thoroughly in- 

 capable of learning the important fact, that their at- 

 tendant is their friend. When it is discovered that 

 such is the nature of the bird in hand, it is" as well 

 to give up all hopes of attaining favorable results. 

 Patience will, however, accomplish much ; and it is 

 best to give a long and careful trial before pronoun- 

 cing final judgment. Young birds can be taught 

 more easily than old ones. Yet with siskins, gold- 

 finches, Java sparrows, and chafiinches almost any 

 age will answer. One of the best ways to teach a 

 bird to fly and return, or to go out of doors perched 

 upon the finger or shoulder, is first to tease it with a 

 soft feather in its cage, leaving the door open. The 



