3S0 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



luonllis. bill at all tinu's have plcnly iil licsh 

 air. When lirsl i)lai'(Ml in iMiiilliu-iiU'iil, il is 

 very diirnaill Ui iiulucc lliis hinl tci partaki^ of 

 llii' oi'dinarv loiid. and il llurrlnrr rccinirrs 

 special care and altenlion. II should first he 

 enticed with gentles mixed with its food, or 

 small iK'ctles and Hies, and kept in a li.uhl, 

 C[uiet ro<iin. If il does not lake food at lirst. il 

 mnst be canghl and given two or three clean 

 gentles in the same manner a.s the Wheatear. 

 three or four times a clay, and in lime it will 

 lake to the food mixture quite freely. At all 

 times a liberal supply of live insect food should 

 be given. Live gentles are excellent for this 

 bird, and the young may be successfully hand- 

 reared from ten days old on these and white of 

 bard-boiled egg alone, shredded up fine as 

 for the \Vheatear, and fed at similar inlervals, 

 giving the gentles for one meal and the egg Ihe 

 next and so on. As they get older gradually 

 wean them on to the adult food mixture. I-'Iies 

 are an esjjecial luxury, and should l)e given when- 

 ever procurable. The birds should lie allowed 

 free access to the bath. 



The exhibition points of a Whincliat are : 

 Good colour ; well-defined markings, combined 

 with perfect plumage, feet, and foes. Steadiness 

 is most essential, and a well-matured s]>ecimen 

 with these merits would naturally take preced- 

 ence over an immature specimen, even though 

 it possessed these poiivls of merit. The show- 

 cage is tlie same as that for the Whealear. 



eilged Willi liull ; llu' upper tail coxcrts i-nlous, 

 Willi black centre ([uit while, like Ihe male); 

 tail feather's dark lirown, with wliilish edging; 

 eyelid wliilish ; ehin jiid lliroal blackish-brown, 

 spoiled Willi while: the breast Nery light 

 ehestnut-brown. and Ihe while space on the 

 neck and wings of smaller exieni lliaii hi the 

 male. 



In the wild state the Stonechat's food con- 

 sists of insects and their lar\a-. and wiirms ; 

 the former are taken on the wing, afler the 

 manner of the Flycatchers. II is a ilelieatc 

 bird if captured as an adult, and will seldom 

 live through the moult, even if kept till then. 

 It may. however, be reared from the nest (piite 

 as successfully as the Whinchat and on the 

 same food. A young bird of the season, ca])- 

 tured soon after it is doing for itself, may some- 

 times be " mealed oil." and turn out well if 

 great care and attention are bestowed (ui it. 

 They must be treated and fed like Ihe Wheat- 

 ear, and the same cages answer well. .V cock 

 in adult ])lumage is a handsome fellow, and 

 makes a good exhiliition bird if steady, as Ihe 

 lieauliful blending of colours can then lie seen 

 to full advantage. The richer the colour, com- 

 bined with w'cll-defincd markings, perfeid plu- 

 mage, feet, toes, and steadiness, the greater 

 the chance of success on the show bench. Tlie 

 more live insects, grubs, etc., this bird has, 

 with fi'ee use of tlie bath, Ihe belter will be its 

 condition. 



The 

 Stonechat. 



The ways and habits of the Stonechat, Prcilin- 

 cohi nil'icoUi (l)rfssrr). are very like those of 

 Ihe Whinehat. II is a frequenter 

 of dry heaths and commons, when' 

 it may be seen jieiched on a 

 lopmosl spray of furze or brusliwood, uller- 

 ing its peculiar call, V tail;. I'lum thence 

 il will suddenly darl lo Ihe ground in 

 ])ursiiil of some insei'l. and jiisl as suddenly 

 reliini lo Ihe spra\- il liad (piilled. II also 

 Ilullei's in the air al a sliglil elevalion, anil 

 there sings lis prell\' 111 lie \n\v^. II is i^eiierally 

 resideni in Ihe Urilish Isles, Ihongh many 

 migrate. lis length is aboul .">] inches. The 

 head, cheeks, and lliroat of Ihe male bii'd are 

 black, slightly shaded willi brown ; Ihe back is 

 black, Ihe feathers of which arc edged with 

 Iirown ; the upper lail-cox I'lis while, speckled 

 with blackish-brown anil margined with a 

 light rufous colour; the tail feathei's blackish- 

 lirown ; the wings also blackish-brown, wilh 

 sandy-liidwn mai-gins ; the lertials while: Ihe 

 sides of ihe neck while: the breast rich cliesl- 

 nut brown, shading lighlei' iiiilil il becomes 

 almost yellowish-while on Ihe abdomen, veni, 

 and under lail-covcrls. The female has the 

 wliole of her upjier pari dusky brown, feathers 



The Redstart, Rulicilhi plia-niciirus (Mdc;/.), 

 arrives in the British Isles early in Ajiril, and 

 ilepails during Sepleniber or early 



The 

 Redstart. 



in October, aeeoriling lo the sea- 

 son. II is a handsojue bird, in 

 lenglli aboul ."i] inches ; the bill is black, excej)l 

 for its yellow cornel's and inside; Ihe forehead 

 is while, Iliis coliuir exieiiding in a line 

 (i\er the ear-co\erls; Ihe neck and back arc 

 slaty-grey, slightly tinged willi red: the 

 rump and U]>iier tail eoverls orani^e-clusl nut ; 

 greater eo\crls and piiinaix quill-- diiskx lunwii, 

 Willi the narrow outer fringe rather lighter; 

 ear-coverts, sides of face, chin, throat, and 

 fore-neck black. Ihe teal hers being generally 

 slighlly cilgcil Willi lAi'cN : Ihe breasi, sides, 

 and upper pari of Ihe alidonieii are rich 

 orange-chesi mil ; the lower portion of the 

 abdomen below Ihe lail eoxerts orange biilV, 

 lieing clondetl willi while: Ihe lail fealhers 

 a rich orange cheslnul. Ihe oiiU'r webs darker, 

 with the Uvo ccnire feathers daik blown. 



The female, unlike iiinsi birds ot this class, 

 dilTers iiialeriall\ Iniiii hei' male. She is a Irille 

 smaller; the upper pari nt llie body is a uni- 

 form greyish-brown, the chin and throat dusky 

 while, Ihe breast a dull saiidx -brow n. the wings 



