70 Song Birds. 



I shall not, then, attempt to enter at any length 

 into the uncomfortable fashion alluded to just now. 

 I believe where it is attempted it is usual to have a 

 cage with several partitions, a nest box in each, and 

 as soon as one bird begins to sit, her mate is taken 

 away, and she is left to bring up her brood alone. 



5. In one instance proceedings like these may be 

 rendered necessary. If a Goldfinch and Canary build 

 together, the Goldfinch is sometimes disposed to break 

 his poor wife's eggs ; probably because they are not 

 exactly the colour he expects to see them. But all are 

 not so cruel ; and Goldfinches sometimes bring up 

 young families in a most exemplary manner. I have 

 myself one so good-natured that, having no family 

 of his own this year, when a poor little strange 

 ''grey pate" fluttered its wings and looked up at 

 him in a meek and insinuating way, he actually fed 

 it and comforted it, as though it had been his own. 

 There are, however, varieties of disposition. But the 

 general caution is quite necessary: that if birds of 

 different races pair, when the eggs naturally look dif- 

 ferent, it is always necessary to look sharply after them 

 as soon as they are laid ; if, for instance, it is certain 

 that the hen has laid, and yet no egg is visible, 

 it would be safer next day to lock up the suspected 

 party behind the sliding grating till the expected 

 egg is safely in our possession, when it can be put 

 into another nest for hatching. 



