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Sntroiittctioii.
'INCHES are of all Cage-birds the most popular, not only 'becanse they
are companionable, neat, and cleanly; but becanse they are, with few
exceptions, easy to provide for, and when not good singers, frequently
compensate for this deficiency, by considerable beauty of plumage.
The first foreign birds which ever came into my hands were of
' the Finch tribe. At the time I was birds-nesting in Kent; and, hearing
that a certain florist amused himself by breeding Canaries for sale, I
thought I should like to purchase two or three strong cock birds, so as
to introduce fresh bloo dinto my stock. In his window I saw a cage
containing six little foreign birds, which appeared to be very meri-y and
.uu^ feather; though at that time the thermometer only registered a temperature
of \bont 50 degrees: their owner informed me that he had no trouble with them on
that score, for they did not suffer even in frosty weather, though he never warmed
the place by artificial heat. I asked the price of these little birds and, in my ignorance
of their tme value, considered myself lucky to be able to secure them for fifty shillings.
These six birds, which consisted of a pair of Amadnvade Waxbills, a pair of Blackheaded
Mannikins and a pair of Spice Finches, were my first introduction to the
so-called "Foreign fancy:" at the present time the mania for keeping these charming
pets has so increased, that there are very few of the regularly imported species of
which specimens have not, at some time or other, inhabited my cages and aviaries.
The present work is designed to supply a want which has been felt by^ all
lovers of foreign birds; since its object is to give a reliable account of various
cage-birds, popularly known as Finches, which either are regularly imported, or
have, from time to time, been imported into this country.
Now, it seems to me, that in works of this nature, the so-called "scientific"
element is too much ignored. Whereas the Cabinet Naturalist is always interested