4 Song Birds. 



5. I do not know how real Canaries can be best 

 brought to stand our cold English winters. Our 

 own grounds were remarkably warm, and shut in 

 amidst hills, and there were many thick belts of 

 laurels, and dense clumps of evergreens, which 

 certainly afforded a good deal of shelter, so that 

 we had no lack of English birds of all kinds, from 

 the Wrens that built their exquisite round nest in 

 the creepers upon the wall, to the Eobin Redbreasts 

 in their greenhouse home ; the Goldfinches in the 

 larches, the Thrushes in the laurels, and the gold- 

 crested Wrens on an apple branch. Alas, for the 

 cherry-trees, there were nests in them; but when 

 seven Nightingales would be heard on a summer's 

 evening, singing upon the lawn, we felt well repaid 

 for any little damage that their race might do us. 

 And thus it was, that I began to study birds, picking 

 up those half-fledged little ones that tumbled from 

 the nests, making daily rounds amongst those we 

 knew, and at last, where we felt well acquainted, 

 (as amongst those who built each year in the same 

 place regularly), becoming very daring, we went carry- 

 ing with us teacups of bread and water, and kindly 

 volunteered our help to the old birds in their menage. 

 I never knew a nest deserted for us, the old birds 

 would sit on a tree next door, and watch with much 

 benignity while all the little things would stretch 

 out their heads and open their mouths at once, 



