6 OUR HOME PETS 



within the always open casement. Her re- 

 ward is a charming colony of birds in her 

 grounds, who come freely into her house, ac- 

 cept food from her hands, sing for her, bring 

 their wild mates and their little ones, and in 

 every way are enchanting daily visitors. But 

 she is careful not to retain them too long, and 

 to keep a supply of food convenient for them. 

 Birds so educated have been known to stay 

 out-of-doors all summer, and take up winter- 

 quarters in the house year after year. 



But even when the birds caught are grown 

 up, if the second condition is carried out and 

 they are "properly cherished," they frequent- 

 ly become so attached to their homes that 

 they will not accept liberty when it is offered. 

 Nor need we be surprised at this. The life 

 of a bird in freedom is by no means so easy 

 as it appears ; an intelligent observer soon 

 comes to know that he is at work nearly 

 every hour of the day, beginning several 

 hours before we are out of bed. When there 

 are young ones to be fed, the parents are 

 absolutely driven from morning till night, 

 and, as their lovers well know, nearly all bird 

 music ceases during those hard-worked days. 



