CUATS AND irAIHILKPiS. 101 



birds, has wires in the front and on tlio two sidos, with a closo back, 

 uiul !i green baizo top. It should bo eighteen inches long, thirteen 

 inches high at the sides, and fifteen inches in tho middle under the 

 roof. In such a cage, tho Stonechat will bo likely to thrive, and 

 will prove a most interesting and agreeable pet, singing sweetly all 

 the year round, both by day and night, and imitating tho notes of 

 other birds which may bo placed near it, with great facility. 



Although the Wliinchat may bo kept alive for some tiino in con- 

 finement, Bechstein states that "it is always quiet and melancholy; if 

 allowed to run about, it only moves to procure food, and resumes its 

 place immediately, witli its head sunk upon its breast." This of course 

 refers to tho adult, and after such a description, from so great an 

 authority, few of our readers will probably care to deprive one of the 

 pretty creatures of its liberty; the young birds, however, may be 

 sometimes brought up, if treated in tho manner described for the 

 Stonechat. 



The Wheatear, altliough rather difBcult to rear, is an attractive 

 occupant of an aviary. Sweet says, "it is very amusing to see these 

 birds play, flying up and down, and spreading open their wings in a 

 curious manner, dancing and singing at the same time." When first 

 taken they must be fed plentifully on ants' eggs and meal-worms; 

 afterwards tho diet of bruised hemp, &c., already described, may be 

 gradually substituted, but they should be often fed on insects, of 

 which cockroaches and crickets are their especial favourites. 



Tho Grasshopper Wai-blcr should be taken young, and reared in the 

 iiest, which should be placed in a covered basket, nearly filled with 

 dry hay or moss. Great attention must be paid to cleanliness, and 

 its food, consisting of the paste before recommended, should have a 

 few very small gi\ivel stones mixed in it. Of tho treatment of Savi's 

 Warbler we are unable to give any certain information, as we have 

 never met with a case of one kept in confinement. 



The Sedge Warbler is a most charming pet, it soon becomes very 

 tame, and will perform its prettily modulated song nearly all the year 

 through. To keep it in health, it should have free access, during the 

 warm weather, to a dish or pan of water, as it is particularly fond of 

 bathing, and will sometimes perform its ablutions three or four times 

 in the course of a day. In the winter it must not be allov.'cd this 

 luxury more than once a week, the water should be placed in tho 

 cage in the morning, and removed as soon as the bird has made use 

 of it. When first caught, flies, caterpillars, and maggots, form its 

 best food; these after a few days may be mixed with a small quantitv 

 of bruised hemp seed, and finely cut raw lean meat, well luoisteueil 



