KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



Gl 



pairs of canaries with, young ones, in different 

 cages; also many young ones in other cages, 

 which had heen recently taken away from their 

 parents All these cages were kept in one room. 

 Now for a horrible tragedy — a tragedy which 

 my own eyes witnessed, and the memory of 

 which dwells with me but too vividly. On 

 entering the room one morning early, I found 

 several of my birds dead, and others severely 

 wounded. Feathers in abundance were scattered 

 all over the room, and all my surviving pets 

 panic-stricken. Who was the enemy? Where 

 was he? A minute search disclosed him, stowed 

 away in a corner of the room. It was a hideous, 

 barbarous owl! His advent must have been 

 through the opening in the chimney, during the 

 silent hours of the night; and his employment, 

 until sunrise, must have been trying to drag the 

 poor innocent pets piecemeal through the wires 

 of their cages. Had they been in covered cages, 

 open only in front — a necessary observance 

 which you, Mr. Editor, have unceasingly in- 

 sisted upon — his victims would most probably 

 have escaped. I tell you my troubles, in order 

 that they may be recorded for the benefit of 



others P., Hants. 



[You are quite right, Madame; we have in- 

 sisted, and continue to insist, on the necessity 

 there is for all cages (in which small birds are 

 confined) being open in front only. We formerly 

 lost several birds that were dragged through the 

 wires by cats; and it was this, doubtless, that 

 enforced on us the evils arising from cages open 

 on all sides. Wc regret much to hear of your 

 loss ; but it is experience, paid for, and valuable. 

 We were much pleased to recognise your well- 

 known handwriting, and thank you for your 

 friendly feeling towards our Journal. Every 

 day now multiplies friends, and our prospects 

 seem to have brightened with the weather. Our 

 weekly gossip finds its way all over the world, 

 we observe. Papers continually reach us, filled 

 with extracts.] 



"Prize Canaries" — Will you be so kind, Mr. 

 Editor, as to tell me how to breed "prize ca- 

 naries," and also inform me what constitutes a 

 first-rate bird? Some few of us, here, want to 

 form a " club."— T. B., Wigan. 



[You should carefully read our ll Treatise on 

 the Canary," for minute information. It is con- 

 tained in our First Volume. For particulars 

 consult the Index. The standard properties of 

 the cap are color, magnitude, and regularity, 

 Color, richness of yellow, not only in the cap, but 

 throughout the bird. Wings and tail; these 

 should be black, home to the quill. Spangle, this 

 should be distinctive; the golden is preferable. 

 Beside these requisites there are " additional 

 beauties," such as, for the Pinions, magnitude 

 and regularity. Swallow throat, for largeness. 

 Fair breast, regularity. Leqs, blackness. Also 

 the flue should be black. We have, through the 

 kindness of an Amateur, a reader' of this 

 Journal, procured you a " book of Club Regu- 

 lations." If you will remit us two stamps, and 

 forward your address, we will convey it to you.] 



Atrophy in Birds. — I have lost several birds 

 lately, Mr. Editor, through atrophy. How can 



I guard against this visitation? My birds fall 

 sick, eat voraciously, and die. I have just heard 

 of a black tern having been shot here, Whilst 

 I write, I also hear the voice of the corn-crake. — 

 Oxoniensis, Heading. 



[Great care must be taken of your song-birds, 

 both during the "fall" and ''spring" of the year. 

 Keep them warm and cheerful, and feed them 

 on a generous diet. If they get into the habit 

 of " moping," they, like ourselves, grow melan- 

 choly and " out of sorts." Nor can they, as we 

 can, seek refuge in the charms of society, to 

 restore them to their natural equilibrium. When 

 we get the " meagrims" — very seldom, we 

 acknowledge — we always fly to some "particular 

 friend" for consolation; and in the bosom of " a 

 happy family" our sorrows dissolve like a sun- 

 beam.] 



Where can I obtain a good Siskin, Mr. Editor? 

 — I want a first-rate bird, one that sings well. 

 What ought I to give for him? Tell me, please, 

 quickly, as time is an object. — One oe your 

 most delighted readers albeit an old 

 Lady. 



[When our readers want immediate assistance, 

 they really must send us their names and ad- 

 dresses, together with a postage stamp to frank 

 the reply. We go to press one week in advance ; 

 therefore it will be seen how impossible it is for 

 us to be unduly " quick"' in our answers. We 

 will reply willingly, if these essentials be complied 

 with. Mr. Clifford's, 24, Great St. Andrew St., 

 Holborn, will be the place to get a good bird. 

 Use our name, and the cost will not exceed from 

 five to six shillings.] 



THE STABLING. 



I have been much delighted, Mr. Editor, 

 with your admirable articles on the Star- 

 ling ; and I have read with much interest 

 the recent communication on the same 

 subject by Sir James Stuart Menteith. 



I do not know whether your readers are- 

 aware of it, but it is the usual practice of 

 the starling to build in holes, whether of 

 trees or rocks ; and of late years much in 

 boxes, which it has become customary to 

 erect for them. A different arrangement, 

 therefore, from that of most other birds, is 

 necessary with regard to cleanliness. The 

 digested food which the young birds are 

 careful from their birth to void over the 

 edge of the nest, is enveloped in a tough 

 calcareous covering. Regularly, after having 

 entered to feed their children, one of the 

 parents may be seen flying out with one of 

 these capsules hanging from its beak, and 

 then dropping it a convenient distance. This 

 I have observed them doing, many a time 

 and oft.* 



* We have already noticed this wonderful 

 provision of Nature for keeping the nests ofbirds 

 perfectly clean (see p. 362, vol 1.). Many a 

 nest, when the young have left it, appears 



