ORDER PASSERES. 19 



there will then be no necessity to enter the place and disturb 

 the birds, for the purpose of changing the verdure. By 

 managing in this manner, those who bring up these birds will 

 soon have the satisfaction of seeing the father and mother 

 take the food which is provided, and give it to the young. 

 These birds have so much aifection for their young, that they 

 speedily forget the loss of liberty, lavish on them the same 

 care which they do in the woods, and exhibit for them the 

 same solicitude ; they also utter those cries of alarm, when 

 any thing occurs to annoy them, on which signal the young 

 conceal themselves in the moss and foliage. 



Those who are desirous of making them nestle the fol- 

 lowing spring, preserve the old ones, and either put them 

 into separate cages, or give the female and the young of her 

 sex their liberty. The females are easily recognised by their 

 silence, and on the contrary, the young males commence their 

 song as soon as they are able to eat alone. A young one, 

 which a month after this, does not warble, may to a certainty 

 be pronounced a female. 



The young ones may receive such instruction as their 

 owners may think proper, but the best is that given by the 

 old nightingale, and he that has the best voice should be 

 chosen, for all do not sing equally well. In proportion as 

 the young male advances in age, his voice is formed by 

 degrees, and is in its full power towards the end of December. 

 It will easily learn different airs, whistled by the mouth, or 

 played on the flageolet, if it be made to hear them constantly 

 for some months. It can even be taught, it is said, to sing 

 alternately with a chorus, to repeat the couplets, and to 

 speak ; but it is necessary in this case, to sacrifice its natural 

 song, which is lost altogether, or greatly injured by these 

 foreign acquisitions. This is often a very just source of 

 regret, for as variety constitutes its principal charm, this 

 gives place to a monotony, which in the long run becomes 

 tiresome. Another inconvenience which frequently occurs, 



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