i68 



111 captivity they are birds which are easily catered for, 

 doing well ou plain Canary seed with a little hemp occasionally. 

 Mealworms and insects they are fond of, but, as far as my 

 experience goes, they get on well without such additions to 

 their dietary, though when wild they no doubt eat as many 

 insects as seeds. 



A cock I have at present has nothing but canary seed in his 

 cage, and, for the last 5-ear at least, I should not think that he 

 has had more than a dozen mealworms or more than a pint of 

 other extras, as hempseed, ants' eggs, etc., and on this diet he 

 keeps in perfect health and condition, in a large cage out of 

 doors. 



I find these birds do better in a cage b\' themselves, being 

 steadier there than in an aviar_y, where they never seem to 

 settle down, but always dash wildly about when one goes near 

 them— and yet when one's back is turned they spend most of 

 their time in tormenting smaller birds. 



As regards song, the cock when in health is an inde- 

 fatigable performer, but his song {as I suppose one must call 

 it) can only give satisfaction to himself, as it is nothing but a 

 continuous stream of loud harsh cackles and squeaks (an 

 exaggerated copy of that of a Weaver-bird), accompanied by 

 ridiculous gesticulations and gymnastics, as amusing to w^atch 

 as his vocal efforts are painful to listen to. 



In a state of nature they are parasitic in their breeding 

 habits, laying their eggs in other birds' nests like our Cuckoo, 

 so that in captivity there is hardly the remotest chance of their 

 breeding. 



I only once have had a hen, which the cock seemed 

 delighted to see when she was introduced into his cage, but 

 after three days of delight in her company, he must have 

 tired of her presence, as one day I found her scalped and 

 dying, with the murderer on the top perch exulting over his 

 victim. 



I am afraid I have not given the Cow-bird a very good 

 character as a cage-bird, though he certainly is one of the 

 easiest of birds to keep in health, but against this must be set 

 his wildness and bad temper ; to put it shortly, he is a pet 

 one is likely to soon tire of 



E. HOPKINSON. 



