Bird-keeping. 



therefore, they require seed or insects for their food ; 

 whether they are natives of hot or cold countries ; 

 what kind of habitation suits them best. All this 

 must be learned before they can be competent to be 

 intrusted with the welfare of their little captives ; and 

 when they have acquired this general information, they 

 ought to serve an apprenticeship to the individual bird, 

 to find out its attractive qualities and peculiar tastes, 

 in order to render it perfectly at home and happy in 

 its imprisonment. Mr. Kidd has said, truly enough, 

 that affection is only to be obtained by bestowing 

 loving care upon the birds whose hearts we desire to 

 win. Some bird hearts, as well as some human hearts, 

 are much more easily won than others ; but, as in the 

 parallel case, they are not the less to be coveted when 

 hard to win, and, once obtained, the attachment is 

 generally more lasting and exclusive than that which 

 is very readily given. 



But if all loving wiles fail, and any bird's heart can- 

 not be won ; if, as Chaucer says, 



" His liberty the bird desire th aye," 



" let him have it," I would say, " do not keep him in 

 misery, fretting against his bondage : if he cannot be 

 made happy by his attachment to his owner, and thus 

 receive full compensation for the loss of his liberty, set 

 him free." Some birds are of such an active disposi- 

 tion and mercurial temperament, that it is positive 



