INTRODUCTION. 



We all love Birds — Song birds especially. How can 

 we help it ? Are they not the most lovely and joyous of 

 all God's creatures ; and such fitting companions for our 

 parlors, delighting us, as they do, with their charming and 

 sweet harmony ? And what can be more pleasant to the 

 lovers of the beauty of nature, than to study their innocent 

 and amusing habits-; True as this is, we should at the 

 same time not forget that, to enjoy this pleasure, these 

 little warblers have to become our prisoners, and can only 

 look to 7is for their necessaries. It is, consequently, our 

 first duty to make ^/leir situation as comfortable as possible. 

 To effect this, it is absolutely necessary to be acquainted 

 with the proper treatment for such as we have selected 

 for our fancy. This surely requires Some knowledge of 

 which many persons are quite ignorant, especially of the 

 European birds. This has induced me to draw up the fol- 

 lowing pages for the use of those who take delight in 

 rearing them. 



Having been brought up in the midst of these sweet 

 songsters, in Germany ; and always taken great delight in 

 rearing them, from my youth ; and been dealing in them, in 



