272 HISTORY OF 



body, while in quadrupeds they lie only in the 

 breast. In birds there are a variety of cells which 

 take in the air, and thus pour forth their contents 

 at the little animal's command. The black-cap 

 and the wren, therefore, are as respectable for 

 their voices, as they might be deemed inconsider- 

 able for their size. 



Ah 1 these soft-billed birds, thus prized for their 

 singing, are rendered domestic, and brought up 

 with assiduity by such as are fond of their voices 

 in a cage. The same method of treatment serves 

 for all, as their food and their habits are nearly 

 the same. The manner of taking and treating 

 them, particularly the nightingale, is this. A 

 nightingale's nest may be found by observing the 

 place where the male sings, and then by sticking 

 two or three meal-worms (a kind of maggot found 

 in flour) on some neighbouring thorn, which 

 when he sees he will infallibly bear away to his 

 young. By listening, he then may be heard with 

 the female chirping to the young ones while they 

 are feeding. When the nest is found, if the 

 young are not fledged enough to be taken, they 

 must not be touched with the hands, for then 

 the old ones will perceive it, and entice them 

 away. They should not be taken till they are 

 almost as full of feathers as the old ones ; and, 

 though they refuse their meat, yet, by opening 

 their bills, you may give them two or three small 

 bits at a time, which will make them soon grow 

 tame, when they will feed themselves. They 

 should be put, nest and all, into a little basket, 

 which should be covered up warm; and they 



