LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 95 



space so small that she cannot use her wings, 

 and is only allowed to hop from one perch to 

 another. After a while she might become so 

 far resigned to her hard lot as to try to amuse 

 herself by singing in her cage ; but which of us 

 could listen with pleasure to the song of the poor 

 prisoner. 



Rene. I would not, for any thing, keep a 

 bird in a cage that had been taken from the 

 woods; but how is it with canaries, Aunt Mary? 

 I have heard they were born in cages, and could 

 not live out of them. 



Aunt M. Canary birds are natives of warm 

 climates, but were originally taken from their 

 own woods, and brought to our country. The 

 Americans were so much pleased with them, 

 that they took pains to rear them themselves, 

 and most of those we now see have been born 

 in cages, and could not live if set at liberty. 

 Still I should rather not own a canary bird, and 

 should be very unwilling to buy one. 



Rene&. Why so ? 



Aunt M. I do not like to see birds in cages; 

 it reminds me of the liberty of which they have 

 been deprived ; and, besides, if / have a right 



