308 PERCHERS AND SINGERS 
birds finds life far from full. But if you put a wild song-bird 
in a cage barely large enough for a canary, the bird is wretched, 
it dies soon and the keeping of it is a sin against Nature. 
Excepting canaries and a very few other species, if you cannot 
keep birds (and mammals, also) in big cages, do not keep them 
at all! The way thousands of song-birds are caught in some 
portions of the South, to sell as cage birds, is a sin and a 
shame. At this date New Orleans in particular has before 
her an imperative duty in breaking up this business. Chil- 
dren everywhere should be taught that it is almost impossible 
for any one save an expert bird-man to take young song-birds 
and rear them successfully. Young insectivorous birds require 
specially compounded bird-food, and it must be given to them 
every hour, with small forceps—a very tedious operation. 
In the kindness of their little hearts, children often take 
young song-birds from the nest, cage them, and try to feed 
them on what some little folks like best—cake and cream! 
They might as well give them poison! For any one ignorant 
of the precise methods necessary in rearing insectivorous 
birds to take such birds from their parents is cruelty and 
destruction! 
The sight of a wild Cardinal always compels attention. 
The bird is not only beautiful in color, but it is aristocratic 
in form and manner. It comes up from the South into New 
York state, and the Ohio River region, and extends westward 
to the edge of the plains region. 
Tue Rosse-BreaAsteD GROSBEAK! is, in all respects save 
one, a very beautiful bird. It has a big, clumsy-looking, con- 
1 Zam-e-lo'di-a lu-do-vi-ci-an'a. Length, 8 inches. 
