SELBORNIANA. 
53 
shine and the shadow, the mingled vein of hopefulness and despondency, that run 
through Jefferies’ temperament, I would recommend a comparative study of these 
two masterpieces. ’ A portrait faces the title, and there is a complete bibliography. 
The little volume well deserves a place in every Selbornian’s library. 
The Horse World of London is a recent addition to the excellent series of 
well printed, suitably illustrated, and neatly bound books, which the Religious 
Tract Society issues in the ‘ Leisure Hour Library.’ Mr. W. J. Gordon has 
brought together an extraordinary amount of information about horses of all kinds, 
the Queen’s horse and the coal horse, the omnibus horse and the “ black brigade ” 
or funeral horse, the post office horse, and many more, from which we learn that 
the occupations of horses are almost as various as those of their employers; and 
we are saddened when we come to “ the end,” although the usefulness of this friend 
of man does not terminate with his life. If the books which we have already 
noticed are for the study shelf or for the private library, here is one which should 
be in every school bookcase, and a standard prize in every Band of Mercy or 
Juvenile Branch of the Selborne Society. We must not forget to add that Mr. 
Gordon’s pleasant style lends an additional interest to his interesting subject. 
SELBORNIANA. 
Gage Birds (W.W., 1893, pp. 173, 215, 240 ; 1894, p. 38). — There are three 
points raised by the arguments which Ethel G. Woodd brings forward in support of 
the caging of birds upon which I should like to say a few words. Firstly, there can 
be no comparison drawn between birds and other domestic animals, since the former 
alone are winged, and constructed in every particular — inclusive of special cellular 
bone formation, an unique development of lung, and a peculiar contrivance of the 
foot and leg — for a life to be spent in the air or amid boughs. Cats, dogs, and all 
quadrupeds have at least the option of exercising all four limbs, if at all properly 
kept, while the cage bird is robbed of this privilege. It is only needful to read 
that saddest of books, “ Bechstein on Cage Birds,” to realise what sufferings 
inevitably result from caging, which are unknown to the free bird. The maladies 
entailed by imprisonment naturally lead me to those brought on by unnatural diet, 
my second point. It is not possible, with the best intentions, to supply a caged 
bird, all the year round, with the series of food in right succession and variety, or 
to ascertain when change is required until the necessity for it is impressed on the 
mind of its owner by some symptom indicative of disease. In a free state birds 
doctor themselves and avoid illness by alternating different meats of that great 
table in the wilderness so bountifully spread by the merciful hand of Him Who 
cares for the fowls of the air, which neither sow nor reap. Lastly, although the 
bird itself when caged fortunately may not be able fully to realise how pitifully 
warped its small destiny has been in being torn from the rightful home in the 
green trees, the human bystander can, if tender hearted, know, though not to the 
full, what the little captive has missed, and feels remorse accordingly. It is this 
that makes a caged bird, to all thinking people, such a melancholy spectacle. To 
me, nothing bears a more grievous witness to that terrible form of self love which 
can find pleasure in sacrificing to itself, without ruth, the joys of tiny innocent 
things. It is satisfactory to learn that popular feeling is taking a right turn in 
this respect. The clever leader writer of the Daily Graphic, in giving an account 
of the last cage bird show at the Crystal Palace, comments strongly on the cruelty 
of caging the citizens of the air, in particular the kingfisher ; adding that the whole 
show filled him personally with an ardent desire to open all the cage doors and 
let the birds go. It is to be hoped that this wholesome spirit will spread, and 
that the next generation will see this strain upon modern civilisation removed ; 
otherwise the question will be decided by the fact that no birds will be left to cage. 
A London dealer lately confessed that four out of every twelve was the proportion 
which survived the first caging. Edith Carrington. 
[We cannot insert further communications on this subject. — Ed. N. rV.] 
