HABITATIONS OF TAME BIRDS. 5 



dunnock and the blue-breast, sing best in this state of liberty. 

 It is necessary to avoid placing them with shrikes or tits, as 

 these often, in the midst of plenty of food, will kill smaller 

 birds, for the sake of eating the brain or intestines. Those* 

 that are confined that we may better enjoy the beauty of their 

 song, should have a cage proportioned to their natural vivacity : 

 a lark, for example, requires a larger cage than a chaffinch. 

 The habits of the birds must also be considered, whether they 

 rest on the ground or perch on sticks. Thus, the nightingale 

 must have perches, while the sky-lark never makes use of 

 these. 



In the account of each bird I shall point out what shaped 

 cage I have found most suitable. 



In every case cleanliness is absolutely necessary, in order to 

 keep birds a long time, as well as healthy and active. In 

 general it is better not to disturb the birds very often ; but if 

 not every day, yet every week at furthest, it is necessary to 

 clean even the perches of those that roost, and strew sand where 

 they keep at the bottom. Negligence in this entails many 

 inconveniences, unpleasant smells from sick birds, gouty feet 

 to some birds, loss of the use of their limbs or all their claws ; 

 such sad experience may at length cure the negligent amateur. 

 " We love birds," they say ; " No," I reply, " you love your- 

 selves, not them, if you neglect to keep them clean." 



In washing the feet of birds they must first be soaked in 

 warm water, or the dirt will be so pasted on the skin that in 

 removing it the bird will be wounded, and the irritation thus 

 excited may soon occasion dangerous ulcers. House birds are 

 generally subject to sore feet, and great attention is therefore 

 necessary to examine them often if they are not attacked ; a 

 hair wound round them will sometimes become drawn so tight 

 that in time the part will shrivel up and drop off. Another 

 proof of the necessity of care in cleaning is, that few birds pre- 

 serve their claws after having been kept some years in the 

 house. It must be confessed, however, that among birds of 

 the same species there is a very marked difference in this 

 respect, some being always extremely clean, whilst others are 

 for ever dirty, and seldom clean themselves. There are also 

 some species in which cleanliness seems an innate quality: 

 among these are yellow hammers reed buntings, and linnets ; 



