56 CANARY BIRDS. 



feeding endlessly from early morning to 

 quite evening, we contrived to rear a tame 

 and pretty set of little downy birds." 



Look at the nest of young birds twice a 

 week, to see if all is going on right ; if they 

 appear red, with their crops full of victuals, 

 you may be assured they are doing well ; 

 in case, however, you find them of a sickly 

 pale hue, without any food in their neck or 

 crops, most likely the nest and birds are in- 

 fested with vermin. Change their nest box 

 and nest for a new one immediately, made 

 warm with a hot egg rolled in it, which 

 should be done as expeditiously as possible ; 

 for many hens are of a very fretful disposi- 

 tion, and will not sanction any interruption 

 to their maternal care, often forsaking their 

 young by too much familiarity. When this 

 happens to be the case, feed the young occa- 

 sionally with a small bit of the yelk of hard 

 egg, dissolved by one or two drops of clean 

 water ; add to this a little sopped bun or 

 eponge-cake, forming it into a thinnish paste, 



