134 OUR HOME PETS 



finches, who do not seem to mind living in a 

 crowd. 



The second condition of contentment is 

 plenty of accommodations, such as numerous 

 seed and water cups, several bathing-dishes, 

 and every delicacy, such as fruit or green food, 

 duplicated more than once, so that one or two 

 selfish fellows may not be able to monopolize. 

 I have seen a bird when he could eat no more, 

 yet was still unwilling to share his food with a 

 cage mate, actually seat himself in the dish, 

 and remain there as long as he could stand it 

 to keep quiet. I do not say there must be a 

 set for every bird, but there should be at least 

 one for every two birds. 



Ample accommodations, too, mean plenty 

 of perches, with several having as nearly as 

 possible the same attractiveness, for sleeping 

 perches. Almost all small cage birds want to 

 sleep on the very top round, and if the highest 

 is only one, and perhaps a small one at that, 

 one strong and selfish bird can keep it for his 

 own use, and make the rest unhappy ; while 

 if there are half a dozen equally desirable, he 

 may drive them off his, but they can find oth- 

 ers as satisfactory. A row of sleeping birds, 



