THRUSHES AND THRUSHLIKE BIRDS 



369 



thcin jusl as much as they will eat from 

 the end of a l)luiil-])oinU'd narrow pk'ct' of 

 wood pared down very thin at the end. A drop 

 or two of milk or water should also be dropped 

 into Ihcir beaks from the tip of the finger or 

 the Ijlunt stick, after each feed. When they 

 cease to gape they have had sulllcient for that 

 feed. They can also be successfully reared on 

 barley meal and hard-boiled egg. The latter 

 must be minced fine by being passed througli 

 a wire sieve or egg mill, and a little plain biscuit 

 pounded up fine should be added in the pro- 

 portion of equal parls of barley meal and egg, 

 and half part biscuit, and the whole made 

 crumbly moist wilh new milk. Occasionally a 

 little bread made into a pulp with 

 scalded milk may be given by way of a 

 change with beneficial resulls. During 

 the intervals between feeding, two or 

 three gentles — which have been well 

 cleaned by allowing them to wriggle 

 themselves through silver or river 

 sand — or any other grubs or insects, 

 will be welcome morsels, and all assist 

 to build up a good frame and con- 

 stitution. As the young birds get 

 older, just before they are able to do 

 for themselves, a little finely granu- 

 lated meat meal may be added to 

 the food, reducing the quantity of 

 hard-boiled egg by one-half. The hand 

 feeding must be stopped by degrees, 

 and when the birds are seen picking up 

 for themselves give only an occasional 

 feed, gradually lengthening the inter- 

 vals. 



When taking a brood of Missel 

 Thrushes, remove the nest with the 

 young in it, and place it in a basin or flower- 

 pot just large enough to hold the nest firmly, 

 then place the pot in a box of about 18 inches 

 square, or 18 inches by 15 inches, with a 

 piece of fine mesh wire netting tacked over 

 it so that it can be unhooked to feed the 

 birds. By taking this precaution, if one of 

 the youngsters should scramble out of the 

 nest it will not be overlooked or perhaps 

 trodden upon. The nest must be kept per- 

 fectly clean and free from droppings. Each young 

 bird passes its excreta immediately after being 

 fed, so that there is no difficulty in keeping 

 the nest and young birds clean if the droppings 

 are cleared away after each feeding time. This 

 is most important, as young birds will not 

 thrive unless they are kept scru]>ulously clean. 

 After their last meal at nighi, until the feathers 

 cover the body properly, a piece of old flannel 

 should be laid lightly over the top of the nest, 

 leaving the sides open ; this keeps the youngsters 

 cosy and can be removed in the morning. 

 47 



\Vlien the birds can feed themselves continue 

 the same food for a week or two and give each 

 a separate cage, then gradually wean them on 

 to a diet consisting of a good poultry meal, 

 free from grit, with a little meat meal, made 

 crumbly moist willi hot water, and afterwards 

 add a few clean ants' cocoons. ^Mix only the 

 quantity required for each day's consumption, 

 and this will lie found to ans\Yer well as a staple 

 food. A little hard-boiled egg minced fine may 

 occasionally be added instead of the meat meal, 

 after the poultry meal has been nuide moi.st. 

 as may also a little grated carrot or boilctl 

 potato or tender lettuce chopped fine. A 

 varied diet is beneficial to all birds. A meal- 



■MlMh 



BLACKBIRD, THRUSH. MISSEL THRUSH. OR STARLING 

 SHOW CAGE. 



worm or two or other grubs will also be welcome 

 morsels, for the Missel Thrush's food in its 

 wild stale consists of slugs, worms, insects, 

 and the very small species of snails found in the 

 marshes and meadows. In the autumn the 

 Missel Thrush feeds also on various berries, 

 especially the mistletoe and juniper, and is 

 called " iSIistle Thrush " by some from its 

 fondness for the mistletoe berries. A supply 

 of any of these foods should be given in small 

 quantities as a change whenever procurable, as 

 well as ripe fruit in season. If giving a snail 

 a stone should be placed on the bottom of the 

 cage in a corner for the bird to break off the 

 shell, which it does by holding the snail in its 

 bill and beating it against the stone. 



Free access to the liath is essential to good 

 plumage and health. A little colour food 

 added to the bird's daily food supply — just 

 sufilcient to tint it — during the moult enriches 

 the colour of this l)ird with jileasing effect. 

 A box cage similar to that illustrated on this 



