If our birds are as familiar with us as they ought to be, they will exhibit their confidence in our sympathy and make their wants known to us in a very pleasant and expressive man- ner: if they want fresh food or water they will go down to the glasses and look into them, and then look up at us and chirp; or if anything is amiss with their nestlings, they will attract our attention to the nest by signals that cannot be mistaken. One bird who wanted materials for her nest went about the cage picking up stalks, and another pulled the hair of any human head that came within her reach, to show what she wanted. The young birds will generally be out of the nest in about a fortnight during the day, returning to it at night for warmth. The mother bird will often begin to lay again about this time, and must have a fresh nest given her; and the young ones should be put into the nursery partition, so as to be fed through the wires (or in a small cage tied on to the larger one). They are apt to tease their mother, or to break the eggs, by [jump- ing in and out of the nest while she is sitting. We have some- times seen three or four little heads peeping out under her wings at once, and occasionally they will sit upon her, which in hot weather is almost too much to endure. The cock bird will feed them while she is sitting, and show them how to feed themselves. They must have a supply of egg food, crushed seed, and water in their compartment, and by degrees they will become independent of their parents. The first moulting tries the young birds* strength much, and till it is over they must have the same kind of food — egg food and crushed hemp-seed, in addition to their usual provisions. The hen should not be allowed to have more than two broods in the year, for her health's sake. If she goes on laying or sitting, the nest should 2U DOMESTIC PETS. be taken away from her; and if that hint is not sufficfent, she must be seperated from the cock till she begins to moult. The young birds should be within hearing of a good songster till after their moulting is over, when they will begin to warble feebly. If a nightingale or woodlark were to be had as music master, they would learn his notes; but we do not advise any one to keep these birds in confinement; they are not fitted for it by temperament or constitution, and their song is much more glad and sweet in their native woods. We had one canary who had learned several nightingale notes, and used to repeat the "jug, jug," continually; he would not sing in company with others, but taught the young birds very well from a little dis- tance. They will often learn best when their singing-master is out of sight.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

If our birds are as familiar with us as they ought to be, they will exhibit their confidence in our sympathy and make their wants known to us in a very pleasant and expressive manner: if they want fresh food or water they will go down to the glasses and look into them, and then look up at us and chirp; or if anything is amiss with their nestlings, they will attract our attention to the nest by signals that cannot be mistaken. One bird who wanted materials for her nest went about the cage picking up stalks, and another pulled the hair of any human head that came within her reach, to show what she wanted. The young birds will generally be out of the nest in about a fortnight during the day, returning to it at night for warmth. The mother bird will often begin to lay again about this time, and must have a fresh nest given her; and the young ones should be put into the nursery partition, so as to be fed through the wires (or in a small cage tied on to the larger one). They are apt to tease their mother, or to break the eggs, by [jumping in and out of the nest while she is sitting. We have sometimes seen three or four little heads peeping out under her wings at once, and occasionally they will sit upon her, which in hot weather is almost too much to endure. The cock bird will feed them while she is sitting, and show them how to feed themselves. They must have a supply of egg food, crushed seed, and water in their compartment, and by degrees they will become independent of their parents. The first moulting tries the young birds' strength much, and till it is over they must have the same kind of food — egg food and crushed hemp-seed, in addition to their usual provisions. The hen should not be allowed to have more than two broods in the year, for her health's sake. If she goes on laying or sitting, the nest should be taken away from her; and if that hint is not sufficfent, she must be seperated from the cock till she begins to moult. The young birds should be within hearing of a good songster till after their moulting is over, when they will begin to warble feebly. If a nightingale or woodlark were to be had as music master, they would learn his notes; but we do not advise any one to keep these birds in confinement; they are not fitted for it by temperament or constitution, and their song is much more glad and sweet in their native woods. We had one canary who had learned several nightingale notes, and used to repeat the "jug, jug," continually; he would not sing in company with others, but taught the young birds very well from a little distance. They will often learn best when their singing-master is out of sight.

The housekeeper's companion