KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



89 



cage. One lofty percli across the cage, and 

 two lower ones to enable the bird to get at 

 his food and water. These should be of deal, 

 painted; and square. Round perches are 

 altogether objectionable. The front of the 

 cage should be of rounded, " wooden wires," 

 rather close together, as these birds like re- 

 tirement ; and they should be suspended 

 from some window where the aspect is mild. 

 In early spring, they should face the sun. 

 When His Mightiness shows the first indica- 

 tion of his glorious presence being about to 

 appear, do you be in readiness to spring from 

 your couch. There is a treat even now pre- 

 paring for us — which we who rise so very 

 early already luxuriate in ; one that makes us 

 laugh at the roughness of " Sturdy old Win- 

 ter." He may do us some little mischief, it 

 is true ; but we shall rise superior to it all, 

 and join at an early day, with all our little 

 friends, in bidding him adieu for a long 

 season. 



Few can know, — none indeed save those 

 who live in the country, how delightful it is 

 to hear once again the song of this glossy, 

 happy, noble rogue : — 



— 'Tis long, 'tis very long — 



Since, standing at our garden window, 



The blackbird sung us forth ; from yonder hough 



That hides the arbour — loud and full at first, 



Warbling his invitations. 



Yet do we recognise his voice, and joy 

 in the thought of again living in his presence. 

 Our lawn shall yield him, as of old, his break- 

 fast, — our fruit-trees his dessert ; our foliage 

 his protection ; and our garden shall be his 

 home. Tt is a bargain. But now for the 

 choice of a blackbird. 



In this matter, much is left to opinion. 

 Spme like a very tame, others a very wild 

 bird. In the former case, the song is seldom 

 so good ; in the latter, the bird is generally 

 possessed of his natural note. 



Blackbirds are imitative, — so much so, that 

 it is difficult to procure a young bird that does 

 not " talk gibberish." If he hears a whistle, 

 he will try to imitate it ; if a noise, he will try 

 and copy it. This will ever be the case, 

 where they are kept within hearing of such 

 annoyances. The best birds are, beyond all 

 question, those called " bat-folded,"— that is, 

 caught wild, at night, in a net. 



These birds will sometimes take kindly to 

 a cage at once, and sing sweetly in a week. 

 Others again refuse to be comforted, sulk, 

 and only volunteer a song when they are 

 quite alone. They like too to be suspended 

 at some considerable height. They should 

 be procured in the autumn season ; if taken 

 now, they would fall sick and die. Their 

 troth is pledged, their plans are laid, their 

 nests are built, and all arrangements made 

 for the season. Let us place ourselves in a 



similar position, by hypothesis ; and ask if 

 ice could be happy and sing, if we were sepa- 

 rated from all we held dear ? The case is 

 analogous. There is no difficulty in procur- 

 ing these bat-folded birds ; but it will be de- 

 sirable to hear them sing, before you become 

 a purchaser ; and to take them away in the 

 same cage. 



There will be plenty of young blackbirds 

 in the London markets in another week or so. 

 They are usually brought from the country 

 in nests, containing four and five young birds. 

 One of these nests you may procure for about 

 eighteen -pence : and if you rear the birds 

 yourself, you may chance to get two fine 

 ones from the number. 



Directly you get them, place them in a 

 cage with a wire front, so that they may have 

 a long run. Cover the bottom with fine red 

 dry gravel, and place the cage in the sun. 

 Feed them with bruised hemp seed, and 

 crumb of bread (stale), scalded. Administer 

 this, at the end of a short skewer, every 

 quarter of an hour when your birds are very 

 young — afterwards, every half-hour. Coax 

 your birds to help themselves, from the end 

 of the skewer, as early as you can. They 

 are ready scholars, and soon find the way 

 to their mouths. Most other animals do 

 the same ! 



Be constant in supplying them with cold, 

 fresh water; this may easily be done by 

 dipping your little finger into a basin or 

 cup, and allowing the water to drip from 

 it into the bird's open mouth. Young birds' 

 mouths are always open ! Of course, you will 

 see that low perches are fixed across the cage. 

 On these they will presently hop, and soon 

 show signs of maturity. They will " record" 

 their song, ere yet they are five weeks old. 



We have, in our First and Second Volumes, 

 dwelt at considerable length on the great 

 importance of bringing up birds under " an 

 eminent master." If you will have " good 

 birds," in no other way can you obtain such. 

 We have just been educating some young 

 German canaries ; and our success with them 

 has been surprisingly great. We are enter- 

 tained every evening, after the fatigues of the 

 day, with music that might well be supposed 

 to have emanated from a nightingale in the 

 grove. This really repays one for one's trou- 

 ble ; and such music must be seasonable at 

 all times. We name this emphatically, to 

 encourage all our readers to persevere. No- 

 thing is " impossible." 



In our next, we will speak of the proper 

 food for blackbirds ; and treat of several im- 

 portant matters connected with their health 

 and happiness. They are easily tamed, very 

 affectionate, very observant ; and know well 

 who appreciates their excellencies. A loving 

 mistress or a kind master need never be in 

 want of a melodious song. Where the heart 



