Introductory . 
119 
London, very often bought these poor unhappy birds 
— letting them out in town is a doubtful kindness — 
and I have tried my utmost to make them at least 
less wretched by large cages and quiet treatment, 
even thus, it is lamentable to think how many die. 
But I bought two Robins once, late one evening, to 
let them out next morning. When the morning 
came, however, they both lay dead in the cage, with 
their beautiful wild eyes open, as if to the very 
last they had been watching and full of fear. 
Even tame Robins, indeed, are amazingly timid 
birds in spite of their bold ways. I was speaking 
one day to some tradesman with a Robin by me, 
and glancing towards poor Bobby, I found him 
“ all of a heap,” shivering and shaking as if in an 
ague fit. Of course, 1 picked up my bird and 
comforted him directly, but I had always to keep 
him carefully from the near approach of strangers. 
Wild Robins, however, will not live in confine- 
ment, and it is wrong and cruel ever to think of 
buying them. Larks are nearly as bad. And 
Thrushes and Blackbirds, caught after they have 
once flown, quite as bad. They seldom sing and 
generally die. They sit silently in the cage, and 
do not seem very wild; people then suppose that 
they are real tame birds, and buy them, paying, 
