236 
A WORD ON AVIARIES OF SMALL BIRDS, 
WITH A NOTICE OF THE VALUE OF "bECHSTEIN's CAGE BIRDS," AS A GUIDE TO THE 
PERSON WISHING TO PRESERVE THEM IN HEALTH, 
It has been said, and with much reason, that the love of flowers is a passion 
naturally implanted in the human breast, and when properly cherished, will greatly 
augment the happiness of life dov/n to the latest period ; perhaps the same may be 
said, and with equal force, of another branch of natural history, viz, the feathered 
songsters of our woods. 
If WG carry our recollections back for twenty, thirty, or forty years, when we 
were school-boys, so many pleasing associations are connected with our bird-nesting 
rambles, that although anxieties, troubles, and absorbing cares have mingled with 
the pleasures of many subsequent years, the joy of our youthful days are still 
fresh in mind ; and present enjoyment is still derived from the songs of birds, which, 
of all inferior creatures, Heaven seems to have intended as the most cheerful 
associates of man." 
A taste for the scenes of nature^, says Mr. Slaney, the author of a little work on 
British Birds, affords constant amusement and delight ; and for the truth of this in 
respect to birds, we may ask, who that has repaired to the fields in spring, at the 
dawning of the day, and listened to the lively music of the lark as he ascended from 
his grassy bed, and carolled his morning song, the loud echo of the song thrush on 
the extreme branch of a lofty ash tree, the blackbird in the low thicket, or the 
goldfinch on the summit of the lofty elm, and the linnet on the slender twig of the 
hawthorn hedge, attended with a thousand cheerful chirps from every quarter 
around, — who has not felt a thrilling emotion which scarcely any thing else in 
creation could have produced ? For although we are quite alive to the injury our 
gardens sustain from several species, yet the number of these depredators being so 
limited, the cheerful songs and lively presence of others more than compensate for 
the injury. 
The enjoyment of birds is not merely confined to listening to their song in the 
woods and fields ; they are pleasing company, if allowed plenty of room for exercise, 
when introduced into our drawing-rooms and conservatories, — the latter named places 
they render particularly cheerful. For their accommodation a large inlet might be 
contrived in the back wall, the front of which, if wired ornamentally, would be an 
addition to the beauty of the place. This apartment might be occupied by canaries, 
goldfinches, siskins, &c. &c., together with many foreign birds of a rich and splendid 
plumage, which with proper care might be kept in perfect health and vigour, and, if 
thought proper, might be allowed to breed in their confinement. 
As a guide to all who feel an interest in keeping these little creatures, we 
recommend the perusal of " Bechstein's Cage Birds," originally published in 
the German language, but some years ago translated into English, which, of all 
