122 Early Experiences. 



In the dahlia season earwigs should prove a valuable 

 adjunct to the live food menu. They are also valuable, being so 

 easily tra|)ped. killed by sudden immersion in boUhii:^ water anj 

 then stirred into the moistened insectile mixture. 



hiscctilc luivlnrc (Soft-food) : In the early days this was 

 very i)rimiti\e. I made " (ierman Paste " according' to the 

 recognised tormula. and supi)lemented this with moisteneo^ 

 bread and cake crumbs, covering same with plant lice, little 

 maw seed and captured insects killed in boiling water. Ordin- 

 ary sweetened boiled bread and milk also formed part of the 

 ■nenu, and all through my avicultural experience, T have been 

 and still am, a great believer in its merits, as one of the indis- 

 pensible items of the menu for both hard-, and soft-bills. Latet 

 on I boug^ht some of the ready-made insectile mixture, l)ut did 

 not follow this practice for lc)ng', soon commencing to ])rei)are 

 my own on the more modern lines. For the basis of the mixture 



1 have used either crushed dog-biscuit, or finely grotind g'ame 

 meal, changing them about, and used to add to these tinelv 

 ground crissel and ants' " eggs." As time prog-ressed other 

 things were added thereto, fruit essence, dried flies, ground 

 inipae meal; but all through 1 have adhered to the practice. 

 whenever possible, of adding a portion of Ireshly killed insects 

 to the su[)ply of moistened mixture. A good present day mix- 

 ture, naming only items stocked by most dealers, consists of: 



2 parts (by measure only) crushed dog biscuit (best ol)tainable) 

 and one part of dried flies, ants' eggs, ground silkworm pupae 

 and finely ground crissel — this mixture will keep indefinitely if 

 jnit into a dust tight receptacle and stored in a dry place. 



h'or use take the required portion, add from ten drops to 

 one teaspoonful of cod-liver oil emulsion according to quantity 

 to be mixed, then sufficient boiling water to make the whole 

 crumbly luoist. A four-pronged fork makes an excellent mix- 

 ing utensil, (irated cheese is also a wholesome item to add 

 after the mixture has been moistened, and cake crumbs may be 

 similarly added. For the more delicate and purely insectivorous 

 species, increase the bulk of dried flies and ants' eggs in the 

 mixture. 



Milk-sop •• — Old time method was to boil fresh milk and 

 bread up together in a pannikin, then pour into a dish and stir 



