THE DUTIES OF A FANCIER. 61 



covered with match-lining ; the other half has a 

 wire door to it, so I can enclose a pair to them- 

 selves if desirable. I find this arrangement con- 

 venient. If I unmatch and rematch during the 

 breeding season, a brief term of imprisonment 

 assists them to forget the old love and take on 

 with the new. When I expect a hen to lay her 

 first egg, I pen the pair till after the second egg 

 is laid ; this prevents eggs being laid astray. 

 Returning to the flight (which is paved with 

 bricks) I sweep it out, and am now ready to throw 

 down the morning repast, consisting of a mixture 

 of small grey peas, tares, millet, and canary. In 

 the midst of these occupations, if the morning be 

 fine, my little three-year-old daughter comes out 

 to assist me. Dressed in gipsy hat and white 

 pinafore she toddles up the garden and greets me 

 with " Dood morning, papa; I have tome to help 

 you feed the pretty birds." I cordially accept 

 her proffered service, which generally consists of 

 chasing a squeaker till she catches it, and then 

 sitting down quietly somewhere out of the way 

 to nurse it. If there is no squeaker about, I 

 give her a " baby bird " out of a nest. 



Permit me here to enter a protest against " hop- 

 pers." If birds have food always at command they 

 are apt to eat too much, and too often and irre- 



