104 Song Birds. 



Nightingale was reared from the nest, and soon be- 

 coming tame it was kept in a cage till that May two- 

 years, singing always in the winter from Christmas- 

 till April, and showing no symptoms of impatience at 

 the usual time of migration ; it was silent the rest 

 of the year. In that May it was permitted to go out 

 of its cage, which was hung up open at the door of 

 the offices. At first it returned regularly in the evening 

 to its cage, and was taken in, and released again the 

 next morning. As the season advanced, it sometimes 

 stayed out all night in the shruhheries and pleasure- 

 grounds, but if called by any one of the servants, 

 whose voice it knew, would return and feed out of 

 his hand. For a day or two, towards the close of 

 the summer, it seemed rather uneasy, but this soon 

 wore off. As the evenings got cool, in the autumn, 

 it returned to its cage before nightfall, and was taken 

 as usual into the house ; as the season still further 

 advanced it was permanently housed, and was expected 

 to sing again at Christmas. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

 CAGES. 



1. THE kinds of cages made are innumerable. 

 Auiongst the great variety there is, it is surprising 

 that there are not many which are more desirable. 



