Note 55 — NATURAL HISTORY OF CAGE BIRDS. (continued 5)

This practice is not according to nature, which we can rarely oppose without inconvenience. “This plan causes the mother a greater loss of heat, and burdens her at once with five or six little ones, which coming together, disturb rather than please her; whilst in seeing them hatched successively one after the other, her pleasure is increased and supports her strength and courage. Very intelligent bird-fanciers assure us, that by not removing the eggs from the female, and leaving them to be hatched in succession, they have always succeeded better than when substituting ivory eggs.” Buffon.—Translator.