12r, THE RED-START 



it is possible to tamo ihoni. 'Phis is wlial the parents 

 foresee witlioiit (loul)t. and in iIumi- hatred of servitude, 

 with a eourage worlliy of the ancient Romans, they 

 pitilessly destiov those of their children that a profane 

 liand has touchecK prefering to see them dead rather than 

 dishonouied by bondage. 



Although the propensities of the blue-breast lean also 

 towards solitude, \c\ its disposition is not quite so shy. 

 It has the same habits and the same instincts as its brolluM- 

 the led-breast. It only differs from the latter by the deli- 

 cate blue lint which covei-s its throat, at the place where 

 the former w^ears a breast-plate of orange-tinted red. 

 Under this blue neck, edged with black, fawn-coloured 

 plumage is seen on both birds ; the ashy tints of the back, 

 the reddish shade of the tail-feathers are the same both 

 on the red-breast and the blue-breast. 



Their manner of chosing their dwelling alone dis- 

 tinguishes the habits of these two warblers. Whereas the 

 red-breast dwells in the depths of woods, the blue-breast 

 remains on the outskirts, preferring damp meadows, 

 marshy river banks, where osier grows in great abundance 

 as well as those decorative reeds that are called cat's 

 tails. There, they spend the fine season, living in cou])les, 

 building their nests in the willows or between the tufts 

 of osier. They have the same love for wai:er as the rcd- 

 br(\ist, and thev bathe frequently. You can meet tluMu 

 on slimy banks, searching for worms and insects, running- 



