EUROPEAN FINCHES. 59 



lady. The person who pointed them out to me 

 was a near neighbor of her's, and kept birds him- 

 self, and he assured me that she fed her poor 

 birds upon bread and potatoes, and gave as a 

 reason to him, that seed cost too much. Some 

 give their birds no hemp seed, and others give 

 them too much, because they are fond of it. 

 Now, as all birds are fond of hemp seed, but 

 some may have too much given- them, and get 

 too fat on it, is that a good and sufficiently sound 

 reason that all birds should be kept poor and 

 lean and get none ? I have been led to these re- 

 marks, as there are some who think they have 

 knowledge in this matter, and who condemn the 

 use of hemp seed altogether. Now I am satisfied, 

 from experience, that hemp seed, if fresh, (and 

 attention should be paid to this, as it gets stale 

 much sooner than Canary or rape seed,) is a 

 nourishing seed, and is highly beneficial if given 

 judiciously to Canary Birds, and also many other 

 cage birds. I have at present in my possession 

 a Red-breasted Thrush or Robin, who eats freely 

 of bruised hemp seed every day, and there never 

 was a prettier Robin in a cage, and he sings even 

 at this season (the autumn) every day. It has 

 been advanced, that giving hemp seed to Canary 

 Birds will cause them to have the asthma; if it 



