THRUSHES AND THRUSHLIKE BIRDS 



379 



A^essel. In Uu' iiiiildle of this food is placed a 

 large, deep watch-glass, or if that is not obtain- 

 able a very small inverted liqueur glass, with 

 the stem broken off. I'nder the glass are put 

 three or four lively meal worms, whose oft- 

 repeated endeavours to break out of prison 

 attract the attention of the bird. Not under- 

 standing how these worms are placed beyond its 

 reach, it continues to peck at them, until by 

 degrees it tastes the food which is artfully 

 rubbed over the sides of the glass. This being 

 palatable, the bird satiates its appetite, and soon 

 feels a zest for more, particularly as his attempts 

 to get at the meal worms always prove abortive. 

 This arrangement is more likely to succeed if a 

 few live gentles are placed in the food as well. 

 The bird will soon eat regularly, and is then 

 termed " meated ofl." But until it does start 

 eating of its own free will it must be hand-fed 

 as explained. This close attention is only 

 necessary for a very brief period. 



A suitable cage for keeping Wlieatears in is 

 •of the box pattern, 18 inches or 20 inches long, 

 13 inches high, and 9 inches or 10 inches deep, 

 with three perches, one higher and two lower. 

 Glass or earthenware food and water vessels 

 are hung in a wire frame on the inside of a little 

 wooden door, one of which is arranged at each 

 ■end of tile bottom front bar of cage. Such a 

 cage is illustrated on page 375. Free access 

 to the bath will benefit the bird's health and 

 plumage. 



The essential points of an exhibition speci- 

 men are : Size, combined with good colour ; 

 markings well defined — in which a steady old 

 bird has the advantage of a younger one ; plu- 

 mage, feet, and toes perfect. A suitable show- 

 cage is shown on page 376, and should be 17 

 inches or 1<S inches long, 13 inches high, and 7 

 .inches or 8 inches deep ; the colour inside mid 

 green, outside black. Enamel of the same 

 colour can be applied to the stock cage inside, or, 

 if preferred, white. 



The Greater Wheatear is larger than the 



"Wheatear, and arrives in England about the 



middle of April. It may be called 



T^^ the Bush Wheatear, for, unlike the 



,„. . Wheatear, it invariably settles on 



Wheatear. , , . -vr < i- * 



a bush or tree. Many naturalists 



devote but a passing word to this bird, but 



it has often come under our notice, although 



it is of a much wilder nature and not so 



docile in confinement as its smaller relative, 



from which its chief distinctions (which it 



otherwise greatly resembles) are its size ; the 



band which runs from the base of bill to the ear 



has the feathers edged with brown ; the head, 



neck, and back are shaded with brown ; the 



"wings are dark brown, each feather being 



Pratincola rubetra 

 {Dresser). 



edged with ligliler brown ; and the legs and 

 bill are larger even in comparison with the 

 increased size. It can be kept in captivity 

 as successfully as the preceding bird under 

 the same conditions, food, and treatment. 



The Isabelline, the Black- Throated, and 

 Desert Whealears could all be successfully kept 

 in captivity; but though counted as British 

 birds, owing to their rarity in Great Britain 

 (their presence even then being thought 

 accidental) the National British Bird and Mule 

 Club does not include them in its list as being 

 eligible to compete in British bird classes. 



The genus Pratincola forms an intermediate 

 link between the Chats and Flycatchers. Though 

 difficult to keep, the Whin- 

 The Whinchat, ^^.j^^^j repays all trouble by its 

 handsome appearance and 

 sweet song. The general 

 brown colour above, with darker centres to 

 the feathers, the fringe forming a beautiful 

 lacing of lighter shade ; the broad, white 

 eyebrow, commencing at the base of the 

 bUl, running well behind the eye ; the dark 

 wings, with their contrasting white patch in 

 the greater wing-coverts ; the white chin streaks, 

 which run down the side of the light, rufous- 

 coloured throat ; the light cinnamon-rufous 

 breast colour, intensified at the sides, toning 

 down to a lighter shade again towards the abdo- 

 men ; the tail white at the base, except the two 

 centre feathers, which, together with the rest 

 of the tail, are brown, edged with lighter brown, 

 bill and feet black — all go to make up an 

 attractive bird, which is about 5 inches in 

 length. The hen differs from the cock in that 

 the streaks over the eyes are buff instead of 

 white, the sides of the breast and throat much 

 paler, and the back browner. It is a summer 

 migrant, not arriving until late in April, leaving 

 us again early in October — even before this if 

 the weather is unfavourable — for a warmer 

 clime in North-East Africa. 



It is lively and cheerful when at liberty, 

 living on heaths, commons, railway embank- 

 ments, or amongst furze, retiring from these 

 haunts in the autumn, and visiting arable lands 

 and cornfields, where it may be seen sitting on 

 the sheaves or hanging to the ears of corn, from 

 which habit it is known in some districts by 

 the name of " Barleyear." It may often be 

 found at that time of year in the fields of 

 mangel-wurzel or between cabbage rows, search- 

 ing for insects ; and quickly attracts attention 

 by its well-known call-note, U-iack, U-tack. 



It can be successfully kept in captivity on the 

 food recommended for the Wheatear, and a 

 similar cage answers well. It should be kept 

 in a genial temperature during the winter 



