Birds in a Sitting-room. 25 



little foreign birds, Waxbills, &c., who live in large 

 parties all in one cage, are also extremely interesting. 

 They are not a very expensive tribe, and, excepting 

 care as to warmth, do not seem to be difficult to 

 manage well. They look very pretty sitting all of 

 a row on the perch, singing in a soft, low voice 

 by turns, spreading out their fan-tails, in a wonder- 

 fully quick manner, and sometimes skirmishing when 

 bed-time conies, not to be outside. 



3. These pretty little foreigners, and also our own 

 Wrens, should always have thick green baize curtains 

 to cover their cage at night ; and if they are left in 

 a sitting-room the housemaid should be desired, on 

 no account, to uncover the cage on a winter's- 

 morning. A far safer plan is to let the cage be 

 carried each evening into a warm, comfortable room, 

 to remain there for the night. Everybody knows 

 the anecdote of Mr. Herbert's little gold-crested 

 Wrens, who used to sleep at night under the sofa 

 cushions, but being taken out one morning before 

 the drawing-room had got thoroughly well warmed 

 were all dead in a very few hours after. 



In keeping birds there are many ways of adding 

 to their happiness ; and to all such pets a bright 

 gleam of sunshine, for instance, on a fine spring or 

 even winter's day, may be made a great enjoyment, 

 if the cage is placed in it. The little things seem 

 so much to like it, and puff out their feathers, and 



