17 



that the correct term is *' French millet," and that in 

 France Canaries are, or were some j^ears ago, mainly 

 fed on this seed. Unfortunately Indian millet is often 

 difficult to obtain, as few corn merchants know what it 

 is, and even at bird-shops it is only stocked when they 

 deal largely in foreign birds. It is obtainable at about 

 the price of the best canary-seed, but dealers often 

 avail themselves of their local monopoly and charge 

 fancy prices (such as i/- per quart) for it. It may be 

 given freely to all birds, and for many foreign species 

 when first imported it is all but essential. Waxbills 

 will live largely upon it, and often do best on this and 

 and canary seed alone without the addition of white 

 millet. The seed being small, soft, and easily shelled, 

 is specially suitable for young birds, both when fed by 

 the parents and after they begin to feed themselves. 



White millet is eaten very readily by all species — 

 but I grow more and more doubtful about the advis- 

 ability of its habitual use. It was formerly considered 

 the proper food for "foreign birds," though seldom 

 used for Canaries or Britishers ; but my experience, 

 which is confirmed by that of Dr. Hopkinson, tends 

 to show that most birds do better without it, when 

 fjupplied with plenty of canary seed and Indian millet. 

 I do not feel in a position to speak positively about it, 

 but it appears to me to be more laxative and less 

 nourishing than canary seed and Indian millet. It 

 certainly produces diarrhoea in some individuals. If 

 Indian millet cannot be obtained, it is almost neces- 

 sary to use white millet, as most Waxbills eat canary 

 seed with reluctance. There is no advantage in giving 

 it to the Australian Grassfinches, which do well on 

 canary seed alone, and I feel convinced that it is 

 better to withhold it from all British birds, and from 

 Alario Finches— indeed from all the FriyigillidcB. As 

 a rule, there is no difficulty in buying good white 

 millet, but it differs considerably in the degree of 



