i84 



believe beconiinp: more so every j-ear, at any rate in 

 Norfolk and Snffolk. 



As cage birds they are most interesting. They 

 are easily tamed, and are always livelj^ and active ; 

 they sing freely, the hens almost as much as the cocks. 

 The song is perhaps more curious than beautiful, but, 

 whilst singing, the cock has a very pretty habit at 

 times of putting up his crest, drooping his vikings, 

 spreading his tail, and turning from side to side in 

 much the same way that a Goldfinch does occasionally 

 when uttering his call note. 



When first starting to keep them, it is better if 

 possible to get a hand-reared bird, as these are more 

 quickly tamed. If this is not possible, then a young 

 bird should be obtained in June or July, when they can 

 be fairly easily caught in the peas. This, though an 

 offence against the Wild Birds' Protection Act, need 

 not worry one much, since as far as the bird is con- 

 cerned it is a case of the devil or the deep sea, for it is 

 either trapped and caged, or trapped and killed, or 

 shot outright, because at this time of the year they are 

 certainly no friends of the gardeners. The amount of 

 damage an old pair and their brood can do to a row of 

 peas must be seen to be believed. At other times of 

 the year I think they are harmless to the garden. The 

 accusation that they destroy fruit buds in the Spring 

 is, I believe, a libel. 



The cock can be distinguished from the hen by 

 his generally larger size, and by being, when in adult 

 plumage, brighter in all his colours. At all ages 

 moreover his wings are black with a brilliant blue 

 sheen, whereas the hen has slate grey markings on the 

 primary and tertiary flights. 



The feeding of these birds is not a difficult matter ; 

 when young, they can have green peas, hemp and 

 canary seeds, with insects of various sorts, such as 

 caterpillars, small beetles, etc. When older, oats, 



