and this is sufficient answer to those who consider 

 " thatalthougli gentles might do for dealers, they would 

 only use mealworms," — for such was the scathing reply I 

 received from a gentleman, whom I once went to hear 

 lecturing on soft-bills, when I quietly pointed out to him 

 that he had made no mention of these useful insects in 

 his otherwise interesting paper. 



THE COCKROACH (Z?/a/Az oHentalis), commonly but 

 erroneously called the " Ijlackbeetle," and also houseflies, 

 are easj^to procure by the aid of the excellent traps sold by 

 every ironmonger — one is called the Demon beetle trap 

 and the other the Balloon flytrap. They are both ingenious 

 inventions, the latter exceptionall}' so. The insects when 

 caught may be given to the birds alive or dead, the best 

 way to kill them being by boiling steam. These little tit- 

 bits are much appreciated by the birds, and during your 

 couutr}' walks it will be as well to give an eye to such 

 trifles as caterpillars (all but the liair\' kinds), moths, 

 butterflies, spiders, etc. Should you have a hot- 

 liouse the green fly that infests various plants will be 

 thankfully received by many of the smaller birds. The 

 evident joy with which they will watch your approach 

 with these delicacies will well repay you for the 

 trouble of getting them. 



YOIJv OF EGGvS, as sold in a preserved form, is an 

 excellent article of diet and used with much success by 

 many fanciers in place of fresh eggs, over which it has 

 one great advantage, that is does not turn sour in hot 

 weather. Mr. A. F. Wiener, writing in the " Avicultural 

 Magazine " for February, 1901, says : — " I believe I am the 

 innocent inventor of this preserved egg-food. It happened 

 as follows : When the brilliant coal-tar aniline dyes 

 were brought out the}' were very costly, and chiefl}' used 

 for printing delicate flower designs on muslins, destined 

 to become ladies' summer frocks. To thicken and fix 

 these colours, egg albumen was used, as being the most 

 suitable gum and not affecting the most delicate tints. 

 The white of eggs, when boiled, becomes a ver}' fine 

 soluble gum, which is pure albumen. A friend of mine 



