18 Song Birds. 



6. The rules for bird- taming are very few or 

 rather there are few that are really general, the 

 application of them varying with almost every bird. 

 I think one secret is always to respond to all the 

 bird's advances ; if it asks for a seed, to give it one ; 

 and if it pecks at your fingers, to produce the same 

 reward ; and in the especial treats, too, it is a great 

 matter always to give them yourself, and separately ; 

 the birds do not understand finding them in the cage, 

 or having them sent to them ; on the other hand, they 

 learn quickly to associate all their pleasures with their 

 mistress who prepares them. 



7. Winning a bird's heart is very amusing work, and 

 if it does seem at first a little like " cupboard love,'* 

 yet, after all, how 7 , but by our actions, can they under- 

 stand our kind feelings towards them ? And I will 

 say that their hearts once gained, their attachment is 

 faithful and quite disinterested. 



My little Bullfinch, for instance. Poor little Bullie, 

 with her brown satin dress, and her velvet head- 

 dress, she does sing such a song. It is very low and 

 extremely long, I wish I could add musical, but 

 that is certainly not its most striking feature. Still, 

 Bullie is an affectionate little bird, and if her song 

 is very droll and small, we cannot find fault with 

 anything, while she is so evidently doing her best 

 to please us, leaving her seed at any time for the 

 pleasure of talking to us. Very tame, too, is she, not 



