Early Experiences. Ii^ 



Sandpiper. Linnet 



Partridge Black Redstart 



Swift Spotted Flycatcher 



Swallow *I'ied Flycatcher 



Martin Wood Pigeon 



Yellow Wagtail Turtle Dove 

 I'ied Wagtail Woodpecker 



S])arrow ^Nightingale 



Thrush tGreat Tit 



Robin I:Longtailed Tit 



I'.lackhini XMissel Thrush 



Starling ^Little ( »\vl 



Early Experiences. 



Bv W'ksley T. Page. F.Z.S. Etc. 



(Coni'uuted from poi^c 7?). 



Foods: Insects — In the early days I knew nothing of 

 nieahvorms, live ants' eg'g's. gentles, etc.. save as e.xisting in a 

 state of nature, to he sought for and collected in a semi-rural 

 garden, and the nearest hedgerows. Most of my insect jn'oven 

 der at this jieriod was collected by means of an entomological 

 sweei)-net and nuich was the heterogeneous collection of larva? 

 and insects enjoyed by the birds, and with what avidity they ran- 

 sacked the rubbish (bits of grass, herbage, etc.) amid which the 

 nisecrs were concealed, when a handful was placed in cage oi 

 aviary; out as time went on and the e.xchequer grew larger and 

 ni V imie more hlled u[). 1 learned of commercial supplies and pr ; 

 ctu'ed these, but I must admit that my breeding successes were 

 not as nmnerous (mostly British species kept in these days) as 

 when tney were fed with freshly collected wild live food. For 

 those living in the country, or having the range of a large gar- 

 den, probabilities of sticcess will be greatly enhanced, if tht 

 mealworms, etc.. of commerce, be supplemented by the sweep- 

 ing net and hand gathered larvae and pup^e and imagos of all 

 kinds ot insect pests that infest our gardens. Blight. green-fl\ 

 and the like, is easily gathered trom bushes and herbage. Tj\ 

 brushing it into a small box. or bottle containing a few Icavc. 

 with a small mo]) camel-hair brush. In these days, with the short- 

 age of all commercial supi)lies of live insects, dwellers in the 



