396 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



<>r Ihf liraiicli f(ir a ]i(Ti-li. strclch titihUy over 

 the back and sides of tht- cage a piece of green 

 or red baize. On tliis the Ijird will run play- 

 fully up anil clown with ease, never lea\ing it 

 except to feed. 11 can be suceessfidly hand- 

 reared on the food reconiniended for the vaiiiuis 

 \\'arblers. Mr. Sidney L. Cocks, of Peter- 

 borough, hand-reared seven of these birds from 

 eight days old on live gentles only. They were 

 fed every half-hour from 5 a.m. to 8.30 p.m., 

 the first three days receiving one or two gentles 

 each feed, and after the third day as many as 

 they would take each time. The gentles, after 

 being pierced, were given from the end of a 

 sack needle, as with the Grasshopper Warblers 

 already mentioned. At the age of three weeks 

 the young birds fed themselves and were given 

 gentles entirely until eight weeks old, when they 

 were gradually got on to the usual insectivor- 

 ous food, composed of ants' cocoons, dried Hies, 

 and powdered biscuit in equal parts, with a 

 little meat meal and a few live gentles in addi- 

 tion. The living-cage should be 20 or 2 1 inches 

 long, 18 inches high, and 10 or 12 inches deep. 

 A branch can be placed in this, and it may Ije 

 lined with Virginia cork. Tree Creepers should 

 be kept in cosy quarters during winter. 



We now come to one of the most graceful 

 groups of Brilish birds — the Wagtails. These 

 are true ground-walkers, and to 

 the dainty bobbing movement of 

 llu'ir tails when so i)rogressing 

 they owe their nainc In this family. Mulu- 

 cilliihr. are included the I'ipils, another grace- 

 ful group (if birds, the family being really inlei' 

 mediate in character between the Waiiilcrs and 

 Larks. The Wagtails have lillle or no soul;; 

 bul their double-note, (.7i(r r/7, is \civ musical, 

 and their doeilily in a cage quickly endears 

 1 iieni as pets. .\s a I'ule. t lie\' make good exhibi- 

 tion birds; bul the mellow and (Irey, as a 

 rule, stand a better chance iji coiiipclillon llrm 

 their connnon relali\c the Pied Wagtail. 



The Pied Wagtail, MoliirilUt lufinbris (Tcnini I, 

 is a resideni, and lliough a cerlain ainouril of 

 niigralion takes place, 11 breeds 



The 

 Wagtails 



The Pied 

 Wafitail. 



o\er llie greater pcn'tion ot our 

 isles, but does n(d winler in llie 

 nioi'e noi'l lii'i-n paii s. 



The plumage of the male bird in sunnner is 

 black in the u|)per parts of the body and tail 

 except the two outer feathers on each side--- 

 and the lludal and lireast are also black; to- 

 wards llic ninip iliere is a fringe of grey; the 

 outer feathers of the tail are white; the ear- 

 coverts, lower breast, ahdomen, and imder tail- 

 coverts are while. In (he winler the Mack 

 throat is lost, ajid that eoloiu' on Ihe bnast is 

 restricted to the form of a crescent ; Ihe black 

 throat gi\es way to a white patch at this period ; 



The White 

 Wagtail. 



the forehead, too, is white, and the centre of 

 the back becomes deep blackish-grey. Speci- 

 mens frequently occur in which the black of the 

 former stale continues intermixed. The secon- 

 daries, greater and lesser coverts become more 

 broadly edged with white, and the feathers of 

 the rump assume narrow edgings of the same 

 hue. This change of plumage in sununer and 

 winter is a most interesting feature. The bird 

 is often found near water, either wading in the 

 shallows or. sylph-like, alighting on the lily 

 leaves whilst in search of acpudic insects or 

 larvDe, although not disdaining flies, gnats, and 

 similar insects. They also frequent lawns on 

 which they look extremely handsome, especially 

 when the male bird makes love to his mate in 

 very similar fashion to a dove or pigeon. In 

 the cage or aviary there should always be plenty 

 of water providetl, both for drinking anil bathing. 

 While the Pied Wagtail, which the White so 

 nuu'h resembles that the one is often mistaken 

 for the other, is resident with 

 us all the year round, the White 

 Wagtail, Motacilla ullui {l.inn.), 

 is only a summer visitor. Its nesting and 

 general habits are similar to the Pied Wagtail, 

 but it is slightly smaller. In its breeding i)lu- 

 niage it is distinguishable from the Pied by its 

 general colour above being a blackish-grey, 

 except the crown, throat, and breast, which are 

 lilack ; the forehead and ear-coverts are white, 

 and besides the two outer feathers on each side 

 of llie tail being white, the two ci-iilri' feathei's 

 are also edged with while. In their winti-r 

 plumage the two species are ver\- similar, bul 

 Ihe While Wagtail always carries a greater 

 amount of while on the wing-coverts and is a 

 lighter shade of grey on the back. .\s an 

 exhibition bird, an eipially good White would 

 beat a Pied on account ot its I'arily. 



The drey Wagtail, MoUtcilhi nicliiiwpe {Pali). 

 is resiilenl, though somewhat loeallj- disli'i- 

 liuled. and is largely an autumn 

 The Grey niiuianl to the southern conn- 



Wagtail. , 1,1 I 1 ■ 



lies. II, liowi'xcr. breeds ni 



some parts of the South, bul mor<' geiu'i-aily 

 ill Scotland. Ciinibeiland, and Ihe Noi'th. In 

 sLimmer it frecpienls the margins of rocky 

 streams in llie hilly parts of the Hrilish Isles, 

 and during the breeding season is plentiful in 

 the iNorth. Its nesL resembles that of the 

 Pied Wagtail, and is generally found near a 

 stream on the ledge or in a chink (d' a rock 

 behind or below s(nne rough herliagi'. Though 

 possessing bul little song, the (irey Wagtail's 

 |)luinage |)laces it high amongst cage and aviary 

 favourites or as an exhibition bird; but not 

 more than one pair should be kept in an aviary 

 Willi oilier insectivorous liirds. 



In winler the liird is iilainly and chastely 



