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KIDD'S LONDON JOURNAL. 



195 



consider it so slight, that they will not 

 allow this curious creature to be molested. 

 The interest which attaches to it, as the 

 only Plantigrade animal indigenous to Bri- 

 tain, should also induce us to afford it some 

 protection. We are convinced, that the 

 trifling amount of injury done is more than 

 equalled by the direct advantage arising from 

 its destruction of the smaller animals and 

 insects. 



BIKDS OF SONG.* 



Give me but 

 Something whereunto I may bind my heart, 

 Something to love, to rest upon, -to clasp 

 Affection's tendrils round. Mks. Hkmans. 



No. III.— CAGE BIRDS.— THE CANARY. 



Previous to entering on the universally- 

 interesting subject of " Cage Birds," and 

 speaking of each individually, we wish to 

 offer one or two passing observations which 

 deserve attention. 



We have as yet, been writing of birds in 

 a state of freedom — rambling through the 

 woods and the fields, and listening to their 

 voices with delight. This subject we shall 

 continue to pursue, as usual, in another part 

 of our paper ; but in this division, we are 

 pledged to a lower flight. 



" A change, then, now comes o'er the spirit of 

 our dream — " 



We turn from the land of liberty, and have 

 henceforward to speak of those little prison- 

 ers only whose fate " for better for worse" is 

 more immediately in the hands of a master, 

 a mistress, a servant, or a child. Before 

 proceeding one step further, we beg again 

 most earnestly to protest against any song- 

 bird being entrusted to the tender mercies of 

 the two latter. Servants, in particular, are 

 notoriously thoughtless, careless, and indif- 

 ferent ; children (as we all know but too 

 well) are, in addition, too often remorselessly 

 cruel. 



Most of our pet birds owe their immediate 

 death to neglect. To speak within compass, 

 one-third of them, at least, perish from star- 

 vation. Herein lies a great moral evil, which 

 cannot be too loudly nor too frequently 

 spoken against. If people would but reflect 

 for a moment, they surely would never be 

 guilty of such a sin — for sin it is. Verbum 

 sat. 



In the first place, we would suggest that, 

 before purchasing any cages, due regard 

 should be paid to their being of a proper 

 size, and in every respect adapted to the 

 comfort and convenience of the intended 

 occupant. This i a most important consi- 



_ * Reprinted, with many New and Important Addi- 

 tions, from the Gardeners' Chronic 1 "" ■ rspaper. 



deration. We have very frequently seen 

 birds hung outside a window, with an open 

 top, and with open sides to their cages — ad- 

 mitting not only the scorching rays of a 

 meridian sun, but strong eddies of wind, and 

 drenching showers. Many a bird falls sick 

 from such gross neglect ; and however fine 

 his song may have been, it will, if he be 

 thus exposed, soon be for ever silenced or 

 ruined.* 



In no one instance is this unpardonable neg- 

 lect more observable than in the case of the 

 sky-lark — the very prince of our songsters. 

 He unfortunately has the reputation of being 

 a u hardy" bird, and therefore is hung out 

 of the window, as we may see daily, the 

 fdrst time the sun shines ; and in a cage with 

 open wires on both sides ! The currents of 

 air passing the live-long day through the 

 cage, over his head, and against his breast 

 (the pressure of which he frequently cannot 

 withstand), are enough to ruin his constitu- 

 tion and his song for ever. The natural con- 

 sequence of this exposure is, the bird gets 

 puffy, and his voice becomes wiry, husky, 

 and hoarse. He may rather be said to shriek 

 than to sing ; melody there is none. It is truly 

 wonderful to observe the almost universal 

 practice prevailing in this matter. It is not 

 less impolitic than it is cruel. 



Nothing can be more easy than to obviate 

 all this. If one side of the cage were of 

 wood, projecting the entire length of the 

 front, and the other of wire — the birds would 

 get plenty of air, and be snugly protected 

 from the wind. If it were considered neces- 

 sary to make them " hardy," by leaving them 

 out in all weathers — a hideous fallacy — they 

 would then find a sheltered corner in which 

 to take refuge from the storm. 



We have had sky-larks in full song for four- 

 teen years ; and we have always treated them 

 in this way. People have said, they could 

 not possibly imagine how we got our birds 

 to live so long. The fact is, they would not 

 take any trouble about their birds ; nor would 



* The evils of this extreme folly and thought- 

 less cruelty, have been visible for years past in 

 the court leading directly from Parliament Street 

 to the foot of Westminster Bridge. Here we 

 have frequently stopped to listen to the voices of 

 the larks, robins, and other birds, which have 

 been exposed during all weathers and all seasons. 

 We hardly need remark, that these poor crea- 

 tures, some of them originally of first-rate excel- 

 lence, have from time to time fearfully degene- 

 rated in value, — their voices being huskjr, and 

 their so-called song (or, rather, shrieking) posi- 

 tively disagreeable to listen to. How often have 

 we beheld them shivering before the bitter blasts 

 of winter; trembling in the wind, and exciting 

 the pity of passers-by ! And how often have we 

 felt a wish to see their cruel master suspended in 

 their stead ! 



