iv Preface. 



Judging in some degree by what my own 

 wants have been, I hope that this book may be 

 of use to others ; and it shall be at least kept 

 free from several topics which render many 

 bird books really painful reading. 



Bird-trapping, for instance, bird-doctoring 

 in many cases, and the usual ways of so-called 

 bird-taming, are not ladies* works; indeed, 

 .instructions on such points always seem to 

 me of little use to any one. My own belief is, 

 that it is very easy to tame birds by kindness, 

 and to keep them in health by cleanliness and 

 warmth, with plenty of fresh air and only 

 simple food ; while few mistresses, I am sure, 

 would wish to teach amusing tricks to their 

 little pets by means of fear or hunger, or to 

 torment them when sick by trying, with unskil- 

 ful and trembling hands, to administer remedies 

 which are almost always useless, and very often 

 painful to such fragile patients. 



The real art of taming is very little dwelt on 

 in bird books; yet this is generally the first 



