Breeding in Aviaries. 73- 



hurtful ; but if they do not wash, a little sprinkling 

 from a fine brush is sometimes desirable to force 

 them to preen their feathers. To be in a cage in 

 view of the old birds is often helpful here, and at any 

 time I would gladly give up one hatch of birds for the 

 sake of the pleasure it is to see the little fledglings- 

 getting their education the parental scoldings, pecks, 

 and pokes which are so amusing. 



9. Unless a set of birds are already on a very 

 familiar footing with their mistress and extremely tame, 

 it does not do to seem to watch them much. At the- 

 sanie time when a young pair bred up from nestlings, 

 or long become tame, have begun to build, they will 

 often go on composedly, and allow of almost any 

 amount of friendly interference. 



I suspected the other day that one of mine had 

 been building a floorless nest, and put a finger into 

 the nest to see : both birds came immediately, and, 

 standing at the door to watch me, gave no sign of 

 fear or of displeasure, but simply wished to know 

 what I could be at. A very soft, well-felted lining, 

 after all, I found, and directly I removed my finger, 

 into her nest popped the little bird, and there she sat 

 amidst her fir branches, with her little black eyes 

 glittering as I hardly thought a bird's eyes would 

 glitter ; she also took crumbs of biscuits or of hemp 

 seed when I held them to her, with evident satis- 

 faction. 



