166 HABITS OF BIRDS. 
could conveniently be contained in the bowl of an 
ordinary tablespoon.”* 
The extraordinary affection exhibited by the pa- 
rent birds for their young is strikingly exemplified 
in the instances recorded of their risking their own 
freedom and safety by venturing into houses whith- 
er their nestlings have been carried. We once 
witnessed an instance of this in a pair of gold- 
finches, who were, however, enticed by hanging the 
cage containing the nestlings upon their native tree 
in an orchard, from which it was gradually removed 
to the outside of a window, and afterward taken in- 
doors, whither the parent goldfinches followed, and 
assiduously supplied their young with food. No 
attempt was made to catch the old ones; yet with 
all their anxiety to supply the young with food, 
they took care, although the window was left open 
for them, never to remain in the room during the 
night, roosting always in an adjacent tree in the or- 
chard. An interesting story of a similar kind is 
told by Colonel Montagu respecting the gold-crest- 
ed wren (Regulus cristatus, Ray). 
*“* A pair,” says he, ‘of these birds, who took pos- 
session of a fir-tree in my garden, ceased their 
notes as soon as the young were hatched; and as 
this beautiful little family caused me much delight 
and amusement, some observations thereon may 
not be unacceptable to the curious reader. When 
first I discovered the nest I thought it a favourable 
opportunity to become acquainted with some of the 
manners of this minute species, and to endeavour 
to discover whether the male ever sung by way of 
instructing the young ones. Accordingly, I took the 
nest, when the young were about six days old, 
placed it in a small basket, and by degrees enticed 
the old ones to my study-window ; and after they 
became familiar wih that situation, the basket was 
* Rev. W. T. Bree: Mag. Nat. Hist., iii., 37. 
