376 NOVEMBER. 



epicure, but who take only singing birds, and 

 take them too wherever and whenever they 

 can, without regard to their having young, 

 which may perish by their absence, or to that 

 harsh change, from the full enjoyment of sum- 

 mer sunshine and pleasures to the captivity of 

 the cage. When I see their nets spread in the 

 fields, where linnets, goldfinches, etc. resort to 

 the seeds of grass, plantain, sow-thistles, etc., 

 I wish them all manner of villainous ill-luck ; 

 and I never omit a favourable opportunity of 

 deranging or destroying limed twigs when they 

 fall in my way. 



There are none of our customs which more 

 mark our selfishness than that of keeping sing- 

 ing birds in perpetual confinement, making the 

 pleasure of our ears their misfortune ; and that 

 sweet gift, which God has given them, where- 

 with to make themselves happy, and the coun- 

 try delightful, the curse of their lives. If we 

 were contented, however, with taking and rear- 

 ing young ones, which never knew the actual 

 blessing of liberty, or of propagating them in 

 cages or aviaries, the evil would not be so enor- 

 mous. But the practice of seizing singing birds, 

 which have always enjoyed the freedom of the 



