84 Song Birds. 



little "branches of the same kind of tree as that in 

 which the nest is ; then a few days at latest before 

 the young birds are fledged, the cage should be hung 

 in the tree itself, or in one close by, and the twigs that 

 keep the nest in its place being very ^carefully cut oft* 

 with it or else detached from it with even greater cau- 

 tion, the nest may be placed inside the cage prepared 

 for it. For the two or three first clays, the old birds 

 may be allowed to go in and out without any interfer- 

 ence. The next move should be to bring the cage 

 into a shady window or into a conservatory, carefully 

 providing against any risk of shutting out the parent 

 birds at night. It is also well to give a little help 

 now and then in the feeding, before removing, even 

 from the time of the young birds being nearly able to 

 see (they cannot see for the first week), and by giving 

 a little sopped bread or biscuit every now and then by 

 means of a rounded quill, they are prepared for 

 bringing up by hand, if by any contretemps the 

 parents should forsake them. 



3. As the little birds begin to hop about, the most 

 difficult time approaches. Sometimes a very kind 

 old bird will take the young brood in hand and teach 

 them pecking ; but more frequently the nestlings are 

 left to our care, for it is impossible to imprison the 

 poor old birds, whose love for their brood brings them 

 near that danger. 



4. The seed for young birds should be strewed on 



