278 
Mr. Montagu's Observations 
mutton, varied with bread soaked in milk, and boiled rice,, they 
throve considerably : but it was observable, when the weather was 
wet, and grasshoppers could not be procured, especially if the 
goodness of the meat was not carefully attended to, that they be- 
came visibly weak : such was the case at one time that they lost 
the use of their legs after they had become perchers, which we attri- 
buted to the defect of insect food, and the meat that was usually 
cut for them having in warm damp weather turned sour; for, on 
instant recourse to grasshoppers in greater abundance, with less 
and perfectly fresh meat, they were soon restored to the use of 
their limbs. 
Before these captive birds were capable of flying, a person was 
sent to the nest to see what was become of the two which had 
been returned so weakly ; as at this time indisposition confined us 
within doors, and prevented the furtherance of a design of decoy- 
ing the parent birds to the house by means of their young if they 
should be found alive in the nest, of which we had some doubts ; 
but we were agreeably surprised to find that they had not only re- 
covered, but had acquired so much superior groAvth to those under 
the care of foster parents, that only one was secured : this proved 
to be a female, as was plainly discernible on comparison, and at 
once bespoke the other two to be males. At first this refused all 
sustenance (as is usual with all young birds after the age of dis- 
criminating their parents), but by the example of the others gap- 
ing for food, it soon became familiarized to the hand that fed it. 
As soon as they could peck (as it is termed), that is, when they 
were capable of picking up their own food, it became requisite to 
find out a proper substitute for soft meat; and what was most likely 
to be the winter provision of these hard-billed birds was resorted 
to : common grain, such as wheat, barley, and oats, were pre- 
sented to them, as well as groats or husked oats, at the same time 
allowing 
