135 



Green food is undoubtedly important to the health 

 and happiness of all finches. In an outdoor aviary, 

 if the number of inmates be not out of proportion to 

 its size, a part of the ground should be laid down in 

 turf, and this will supply all the green food required, 

 though a daily supply of other green stuff will be 

 appreciated. Indoor birds can have water - cress, 

 chickweed, shepherd's purse, or lettuce. I use 

 chicory leaves more often than any other form of 

 green food, and find it a very convenient plant for the 

 purpose, as a few roots afford a constant supply 

 through the summer. Groundsel is useless for foreign 

 finches. Green food in a frosted state undoubtedly 

 does harm at times. In the winter, the safest green 

 food consists of either watercress or of rape seedlings 

 grown indoors in pans. Fruit, such as apples, may 

 always be given with safety, but some seedeaters will 

 not touch it. 



Such finches as are accustomed to feed their young 

 mainly on a vegetable diet can bring them up on 

 nothing but seed and green food. But as almost all 

 finches supply their young, to a greater or less degree, 

 with insects, it is desirable to supplement the seed and 

 greenstuff with something more nitrogenous. Fresh 

 ants' eggs are the ideal, but are usually unattainable— 

 and in their absence almost any soft food suitable for 

 insectivorous birds may be given. Egg in any form 

 is certainly neither necessary nor desirable. 



II. DOVES. 



The smaller species appear'to do well on canary- 

 seed and millet, with a few hemp-seed occasionally. 

 The larger species may be fed much like fancy 

 Pigeons. Crumbled sweet biscuit has been recom- 

 mended as an addition to their dietary. 



