36 THE OANART BIRD. 



When the birds are gooa breeders, it is needless to attempt 

 to assist nature by artificial means ; and it is best to leave the 

 them entirely to themselves. In other cases, it is customary to 

 remove the first egg- and replace it by an ivory one, placing it 

 in a box filled with clean, dry sand, and so taking away all 

 the eggs till the last one is laid ; all are then returned to the 

 nest to be hatched. They often lay three or four times a-year, 

 from February to September, and some are so assiduous in 

 pairing, that even moulting does not interrupt them. The 

 eggs are of a sea-green color, marked on one end with reddish- 

 brown or violet spots or stripes. The period of incubation 

 lasts thirteen days. 



If, from the sicklines* of the male, or of the female, any of 

 the eggs are unimpregnated, they must be taken out of the 

 nest when the hen has sat for a week or ten days, held lightly 

 between the fingers in the sunshine, or in a bright light ; the 

 fecundated ones will then appear filled with veins, while the 

 bad ones will be quite clear, or already addled, the latter of 

 which must be thrown away. The male rarely relieves the 

 female in hatching, nor does she very willingly permit it. 

 Immediately after feeding, she returns to the eggs, and should 

 the male perchance be on the nest at the time, if he should not 

 directly quit, he would speedily be compelled to do so by 

 pecks and blows. The young are occasionally killed in the 

 egg, in consequence of loud and near noises, such as heavy 

 thunder, the discharge of fire arms, violently slamming the 

 door, or any other very loud knocking. 



FEEDING- AND REABING THE YOUNG. 



As soon as the young are hatched, the old birds should be 

 supplied with one fourth of a hard-boiled egg, minced very 

 fine, with some dried roll, or bread, containing no salt, 

 steeped in water, the latter of which should be squeezed 

 or pressed out again. In another vessel, some boiled rape 

 seed should be placed, which has been rewashed in fresh . 



