Mr. Heselton. one of whom at least has to my 

 knowledge an intimate acquaintance with some 

 portions of it, both tell me in identically the same 

 terms that what the natives do not know about bird- 

 keeping is not worth knowing. From various sources 

 I gather that insectivorous birds are the great 

 favourites among them, and from the two travellers 

 just mentioned I have it in specific terms that ego- is 

 ficvcr given iji any shape to any bird whatever, either 

 hard or soft bill. Mr. Fiun says that all the latter 

 have to eat consists of dried flies and husked millet 

 given /;/ the dry state. Mr. Heselton differs a little 

 from this and says that he has never seen a dried fly 

 in China, but that he always found the insectivorous 

 birds to be fed on dry husked millet and ordinary 

 gentles, (and the seed-eaters on paddj- rice and white 

 millet.) 



As to the results of this plain diet, the combined 

 dictum of the two gentlemen to the effect that what 

 the Chinese do not know is not worth knowing, 

 points very decidedly in one direction. That this 

 direction makes for success is also very certain from 

 the fact that the keeping of insectivorous birds 

 amongst the millions of those who make aviculture 

 a national hobby, is as common in China where no 

 egg is used as it is inversely uncommon among our 

 corresponding thousands, who hold the "opinion" 

 that egg is necessary, and who by dint of sheer habit 

 and insular conceit have now elevated that opinion to 

 the dignity of a presumed fact. In China the keeping 

 of these birds is commonplace ; here they are regarded 

 as " delicate " and difficult to keep. 



The quoting of concrete instances of success 

 occurring in a countr}' so far ofi" is obviously a matter 

 of difficulty to one situated as I am. with no Chinese 

 acquaintance and but little access to literature on the 

 subject. But we may refer to a paper by Mr. Swan 



