128 ' The Ottawa Naturalist. [Dec. 



rule and flourished upon weed seeds, consisting chiefly of wild 

 buckwheat, green foxtail and lamb's-quarters, but was also 

 given many other seeds, including wheat, oats, barley and rye. 

 Among the weeds a decided preference was shown for foxtails 

 {Setaria sp.) When all were present at once, including the grains, 

 several of the different kinds would be eaten in rotation, though 

 a slight preference seemed to be shown for wheat. All were 

 readily pulled from the heads when offered in that form, and 

 with oats the husk was removed and the kernel alone devoured. 

 Barley and rye proved far less palatable and were, as a rule, 

 discarded, but several grasses and seeds of other wild plants such 

 as Aster , Solidago, Taraxacum and Liatris were readily consumed. 

 This bird would also occasionally pull a few sprouts from a pot 

 of newly growing wheat, breaking them off near the ground, 

 but as the plants got stronger they were ignored. 



Among all the food eaten, however, none was so much 

 relished as insects. The greatest luxury probably being meal- 

 worms, though flies were also eagerly looked for and expected 

 when any one entered the room. Spiders, bugs and beetles also 

 occupied a place in its diet, the latter, however, in small numbers 

 only, and potato beetles not at all. Grasshoppers were taken 

 readily, so were cutworms, indeed the latter proved quite an 

 attractive dish, even the moths being partaken of after the wings 

 had been bitten off with its beak. 



This little bird still continues to live, to all appearances, 

 happily and contentedly. He does not like strangers but calls 

 out at one on the approach of his own people, puffing out his 

 feathers and twisting continuously as they draw near, with, as 

 he hopes, a choice example of his favourite food, a nice stout fly 

 or juicy mealworm. Like all wild birds in captivity, however, 

 he retains his winter plumage, the only outward indication that 

 he is not truly free. 



Addendum,. I had already completed this little history when 

 I received word from home that poor little "Snowie" was no 

 more. He had shown signs of sickness a few days previously, 

 then seemed to have recovered, but on being visited one morning 

 was found dead. Thus the moral comes back to us, that no 

 matter what our intentions may be no matter how kind we are 

 a wild bird enclosed within a cage is but a captive, and though 

 it mav be happv for some time, lack of exercise and insufficient 

 knowledge of food habits are sure to tell at last, just as they 

 would with us. Birds were made to be free, to roam the woods 

 or prairies as their instincts indicated, and the only excuse for 

 taking them in, is, as was the case with poor "Snowie." when 

 thev are unable to take care of themselves. 





