128 
Birds and Flowers . 
bathing in cold weather to such great excess, 
unless they are kept in a very warm room always. 
But if we adopt such measures as water tins wired 
over, and little holes to drink through, the naughty 
wilful birdies squeeze sometimes in through the 
wires and are found of course unable to get out 
again. The wires also of the cages for these birds 
should be very fine. 
The Indian Cut-throats or Sparrows really are 
nice pets. They puff out their feathers when 
spoken to, making them look something not unlike 
grains of sago, and doubling their own bulk, which 
is, by nature, about that of a Goldfinch ; and they 
chatter incessantly, prune one another’s feathers, 
and make themselves in general quite members of 
the family — chattering vociferously when they 
hear familiar sounds. 
One day, I remember. Puss was left in the room 
by accident with a pretty pair that I had, and 
when I sent in haste to see how affairs stood with 
them, Puss was seated before the cage absorbed in 
contemplation, while the Sparrows were singing 
her one of their little songs. 
These birds are very pretty. The cock has a 
bright red collar round his throat. They eat the 
same as the other birds mentioned with them, with 
