 Four of the little prisoners , the oldest not more than twenty days , were let loose . It was raining in torrents at the moment , a circumstance by no means favorable to the trial . The birds rose in the air , flew round the house several times , and then darted off into the country , disappearing into the country . Twenty @-@ five minutes after the youngest returned and perched on the balcony ; the other three did not come back before an hour . They all then entered the cage @-@ room , when Desbouvrie gave them some food , which they ate out of his hand . 
