A Plea for the Canary. 5 



Strange, passing strange, that this beautiful bird is 

 not oftener found in the homes of the middle and upper 

 classes of society than it is. How many a sitting-room 

 opening towards the morning sun, whose walls are now 

 bare of any ornament, either from pictures or bookcase, 

 might be adorned and enlivened by a miniature aviary 

 between the chimney and the window, like the one 

 hereafter to be described. To the sick, or to the invalid 

 obliged to pass the long dreary months of winter within 

 the house, how many an otherwise gloomy hour would 

 their presence lighten, how much interesting occupa- 

 tion and unfatiguing labour would they afford and call 

 into exertion ? How attractive and useful, too, where- 

 ever there are children, would such an aviary be in a 

 nursery, especially in large towns, where little or no 

 opportunity for studying the habits of birds is pre- 

 sented ! To watch them build their nest, patiently 

 brood over their eggs, and hatch and feed their callow 

 young, are operations which are not only intensely in- 

 teresting to every child, but may be turned with mani- 

 fest advantage to great practical account. Here they 

 may silently learn those invaluable lessons of kindness, 

 and love, and patience, which shall fit them for the 

 trials of after life, and, it may be, be imprinted on their 

 hearts for ever ! Who can tell what consideration for 

 the wants and forbearance with the faults of others these 

 little songsters may be the means of instilling into the 

 youthful mind thus privileged to watch them in their 

 daily course ? Who can say what stimulus and en- 

 couragement such an aviary might not often afford to 

 the study of every department of natural history, which 



