74: CANARY BIRDS. 



out of doors. They had the early sunlight, 

 &he sweet morning air, the dew, and the 

 ^cheerfulness of everything around, all keep- 

 ing them well and happy, till, indeed, I 

 should now be quite afraid to say how many 

 young birds, year by year, used to grow up 

 with us. 



When there was a young family old 

 enough to leave the maternal wing, a small 

 cage would be provided, or a division of the 

 aviary prepared for them. In whichever 

 they were placed, we took care they should 

 have plenty of little round holes (like those 

 miserable holes for getting at seed and wa- 

 ter), which they could be fed through if 

 their parents pleased. We used always to 

 strew a good deal of crushed hemp, and 

 maw seed, and crumbs of stale bread, upon 

 the i floor of the cage, as soon as the young 

 ones began to leave their nest and to hop 

 about, so that afterwards, the same plan being 

 continued in their own new cage, half the dif- 

 ficulty of teaching them to eat was obviated. 



