108 AFRICAN FINCHES. 



times, as if there certainly was a singing school, and 

 each was striving to see how long he could sing, and 

 how great a variety of notes he could utter. 



Those who are confined to the house can profit- 

 ably spend days and weeks in familiarizing them- 

 selves with this, the most interesting branch of 

 natural history. And the price has now become 

 so reasonable that all who have the taste and 

 who has not ? can have it gratified. A ten-dollar 

 bill will purchase a brass cage, and four or five small 

 birds or finches. Before America was blessed with an 

 assortment of these pets, our own loved poet, Bryant, 

 wrote, 



" And thou wert still a hope, a love ; 

 Still longed for, never seen." 



During the past five years there has been a per- 

 fect revolution in the bird trade ; and Bryant's wish 

 has been more than realized, for at any well-kept 

 bird store large family cages can be seen, and their 

 occupants, 



" Birds from every clime." 



Among the various finches we will describe such 

 ones as are usually first selected. 



