PREFACE. 15 



melancholy warbler is converted into the 

 many voiced choir of the forest. 



This life is made up of crosses and 

 vexations; and he who can add one mite 

 to the pleasures of existence is a bene- 

 factor to the whole human race. It was 

 with the laudable ambition of being thus 

 considered, that induced me to prepare 

 the following little work for publication. 

 If it answer the end for which it is de- 

 signed, I shall feel myself amply repaid 

 for any trouble I may have undergone in 

 its compilation. 



Independent of the pleasure arising from 

 the rearing of birds, the profit to the poor 

 man, and the ability which it gives him to 

 purchase many little luxuries, otherwise 

 far beyond his reach, is worthy of consi- 

 deration. I know one family, a very 

 worthy and honest one by the by, who, 

 from a little expenditure of labour on the 

 part of the females, and which only filled 

 up otherwise unoccupied time, have been 

 enabled to procure a small but very com- 

 plete library for their amusement and 

 instruction during the long winter even- 

 ings. 



Grave and learned physicians may pro- 

 bably smile, when they learn that a chap- 

 ter of the work has been devoted to the 



