TAMING AND TRAINING. II 3 



bird at first will appear frightened, but, on finding 

 that no harm is intended, will peck at the feather, 

 vhich should be quickly withdrawn. The bird, soon 

 thinking that it has mastered the feather, thereby 

 gains confidence, and will peck at the finger : soon 

 it will come out of its cage, and perch upon the 

 hand. A few choice morsels should be laid down for 

 it ; and in this way it will soon learn to eat from the 

 hand itself. The bird should then be made ac- 

 quainted with some call, which should invariably 

 j^e used whenever the training is going on ; after a 

 short time the bird can be placed upon the shoulder, 

 and carried from one room to another, care being 

 taken to close the windows and outside doors. In 

 this way it will speedily become accustomed to being 

 handled, and can be allowed to fly about the room, 

 inviting it to return by the previously-arranged call 

 or whistle. As soon as it attends to the call with- 

 out appearing nervous or frightened, it can be taken 

 into the open air, and gradually accustomed to being 

 carried abroad without its offering to fly. 



Adult birds should not be carried into the open 

 air in the spring or in pairing time ; for at this season 

 of the year they show indications of resuming their 

 native wildness. A siskin, goldfinch, or canary can 

 easily be tamed by cutting away more or less of the 

 inner web of the pinion-feathers, care being taken 

 that the bird shall have sufficient power to fly from 

 the hand without injury. The nostrils are then 

 smeared with any essential oil, — bergamot is as good 

 as any, — which will render it partially insensible for a 



