A difference of opinion exists as to the proper time to take the nests of young birds. Some say, when they begin to feather; others, when the tail feathers begin to grow. When I reared them I always thought it best to let them have as much of the parents' care as possible; and I always let them get pretty well feathered, before I took them; and 1 let them stop until within two or three days of leaving the nest. If they are inclined to hop out when you get them home, this is easily prevented by throwing a light covering over them, until they get strong enough to stand on their legs. Young birds should be fed at least every two hours, some oftener; and small, delicate birds, should have, at first, a little every hour. They should be fed as soon after sunrise as possible, and not after sundown. If it is impossible, owing to the nature of your avocation, to attend to them so often, keep them in a dark place, as they will not be so impatient for their food as when kept in the light.

Feed Thrushes and other large birds, that eat worms and insects, on meal and milk, mixed with a bit of lean beef, minced fine, or meal worms, or maggots, or small earth worms, if clean, (but, as they are in general full of earth,) I prefer the beef. For Finches, and other small birds, take a piece of stale, wheat bread, soak it in water, then squeeze the water out; put it in a pan, with some new milk, and boil it well until it is about the thickness of paste, and mix with it some hemp, or rape seed, or millet, bruised in a mortar, or on a table with a rolling-pin. And for other small birds, which eat insects, mix with it, some meal worms, or maggots, chopped fine, or ant's eggs, which my young friends in the country will know where to find. And if they will observe what the old birds are fond of, and especially what they feed their young with, and procure some for theirs, they will be the more successful in rearing their birds.