There is always a doubt as to the agreement of many birds together; but it must be remembered that two birds alone in a cage will fight, if it so pleases them, just like cat and dog; while in an aviary, or large cage, the space for flight and for dodging is far greater if they do fight, and it is very rare that more than a single bird at once will attack another. When a whole cage-full do set themselves against one individual, the only thing for him is to give him another home. But a great deal depends on careful management; letting the birds get well acquainted, at least by sight and hearing, before they actually share the same cage, letting them loose together, above all when they are not hungry, and consequently cross.

Our birds throve well with their nurseries out of doors. They had the early sunlight, the sweet morning air, the dew, and the cheerfulness of everything around, all keeping them well and happy, till, indeed, I should now be quite afraid to say how many young birds, year by year, used to grow up with us.

When there was a young family old enough to leave the maternal wing, a small cage would be provided, or a division of the aviary prepared for them. In whichever they were placed, we took care they should have plenty of little round holes (like those miserable holes for getting at seed and water), which they could be fed through if their parents pleased. "We used always to strew a good deal of crushed hemp, and maw seed, and crumbs of stale bread, upon the,floor of the cage, as soon as the young ones began to leave their nest and to hop about, so that afterwards, the same plan being continued in their own new cage, half the difficulty of teaching them to eat was obviated.

It is a good thing to accustom young birds to be very clean : baths in fine weather are not likely to be hurtful; but if they do not wash, a little sprinkling from a fine brush is sometimes desirable to force them to preen their feathers. To be in a cage in view of the old birds is often helpful here, and at any time I would gladly give up one hatch of birds for the sake of the pleasure it is to see the little fledglings getting their education - the parental scoldings, pecks, and pokes, which are so amusing.

Unless a set of birds are already on a very familiar footing with their mistress and extremely tame, it does not do to seem to watch them much. At the same time when a young pair bred up from nestlings, or long become tame, have begun to build, they will often go on composedly, and allow of almost any amount of friendly interference.

I suspected the other day that one of mine had been building a floorless nest, and put a finger into the nest to see: both birds came immediately, and, standing at the door to watch me, gave no sign of fear or of displeasure, but simply wished to know what I could be at. A very soft, well-felted lining, after all, I found, and directly I removed my finger, into her nest popped the little bird, and there she sat amidst her fir branches, with her little black eyes glittering as I hardly thought a bird's eyes would glitter; she also took crumbs of biscuits or of hemp-seed when I held them to her, with evident satisfaction.

I have no faith at all in match-making; in nine cases out of ten it is quite certain that the birds suit themselves better than we could suit them. Besides, half the amusement is seeing what they will do. The prettiest nest I have had this year was the production of a strong-minded female, who fairly hunted down a poor little German bird not more than half her size. Never was anything more amusing than Jenny's pertinacity; first she drove away all the other birds, daring them to come near her, and then she fairly flattered little timid Tuft into becoming her most submissive spouse. She treated him well, however, and fought his battles for him.

It does not answer when they begin to sit very late, because then the second or third brood is apt to be made too backward. About six weeks generally elapse from the time of the first sitting till the next begins. And it is very common to have four or five broods of canaries in a season. The wild birds in Madeira begin to build in February, and hatch quite as often. The canary often begins sitting from the day on which her first egg is laid, thus beginning to hatch in thirteen days after. Some people "take' care" of the eggs for the unhappy birds ;• but I am sure that the rule of letting things, alone answers much the best here, and the-deserted nests and the uncared-for young-are not usual in the woods and fields - they are events reserved for places where "every possible pains is taken."

Of all the knotty points in the keeping birds, the knottiest and the most trouble-some is to know which will live together.

My own belief is that much more depends on the way of treatment than on the birds themselves. Of course, if a wild bird is put into a cage full of tame and gentle ones, it is much like a young gorilla set loose in a peaceful family ; the mischief, the spite, the tricks, are something inconceivable, - every bird gets cross, - and the mistress is in despair. Civilized birds do not behave in this way, and it should be an unalterable law never to put a bird into an aviary, or large cage full of others, till it has been kept some days, and has got used to the place. Birds are upset and bewildered by any change, as much or more than human beings ; and the catching to put them in a travelling cage, :and the journey, - being carried, perhaps, through some noisy streets, - is a disturbing business; and then, again, in the change of cages, very often, indeed, new birds do not know where to look for the food and water. Having once given the new-comers time to get perfectly at home with the room and their owner, and used to the faces and voices of those going in and out, the actual putting into the aviary is generally a very quiet work ; when in a single cage, too, they have wanted so much to be promoted to it!

At this moment I have before me, living for a time in a large store cage three feet six inches by eighteen inches deep, a company of twenty birds. The cage at night stands in a passage, and is covered well over with a woollen table-cloth. In the day it stands in a window of my sitting-room on the top of a plant case. A bath, glazed at the top and three sides, is hooked upon the door, the amusement of which is indescribable. Birds emerge at intervals in parties of two or three, and go afterwards to "hang themselves out to dry" on the sunniest perch or in the swing, looking most woebegone. I have seen two of these half-drowned creatures hanging out in the swing together. The toilette that concludes the business is very elaborate, and it is most amusing to see the little things, who want to have credit for washing, but do not like the cold; how they put in one leg and pull it out again, and finally perch just upon the edge while somebody else is washing, to catch the shower sent up so vigorously. And then the little cheat shakes itself out, makes an immense to-do, and sometimes drives down a really washed bird from a sunny corner that it may dry itself.

It is not uncommon in England to have quite a variety of birds in an aviary; such as chaffinches, bullfinches, linnets, siskins, and goldfinches; but canaries seem to be the only legitimate builders in an aviary. The admixture of a number of other tribes (for breeding purposes) is evidently a mistake. At least so Mr. Kidd, who has had large experience, thinks. He says: "A little calm reflection will show good reason for this; seeing how very dissimilar are the tastes and habits of some birds compared with others - these courting retirement, and feeling annoyed when disturbed; those rejoicing in mischief, and never so happy as when up to their ears in excitement and noise."