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A Plea for Cage Birds.



busy life of the majority of birds—especially small birds—when

in a wild state, we cannot help realising that such a life of forced

inactivity, so contrary to their natural habits, must of necessity

be prejudicial to their health and happiness. After many years

experience in the keeping of birds I have found that a cage on

the following lines will, if furnished as I shall suggest, not only

provide a happy and healthy home for its occupant, but also add

immensely to the interest its owner will have, in watching the

habits and manners of the bird. The plan I find best is as

follows :—For perches I provide the branch of some leafy tree,

or even a fir-tree bough, and the birds come at once to one of

nature’s own perches. Here they find plenty of occupation in

pulling off the leaves, pecking at the bark, looking for insects,

etc., chirping and singing in a way which shows that they are

happy in being busy.


Another great joy to the songsters is a handful of green

stuff thrown on to the floor of the cage, and with it some stones

and sand, etc. The turning over of this is a continual joy to

any birds, and I am of the opinion that the exercise they get in

this way adds materially to their longevity. In the hot dry air

of Egypt I find that it is not necessary to clear away this green

stuff every morning, and I usually add more to the pile every

day till it forms a little heap, and the amount of time my birds

spend in turning over and playing with this rubbish heap

speaks well for their appreciation of it.


The rest of the furniture consists in a shallow bowl of

water, and another bowl of seed, on the cage floor. Naturally a

good deal of the seed gets scattered over the rubbish heap as the

birds feed, but the finding of it again as they pull about among

the green stuff adds but greater zest to their exercise.


In a cage of this description I have kept the following

birds with success :—


Paradise Whydah bird ( Vidua faiadisea) nearly nine years,

and still living.


Amaduvade Finch (Spotaeginlhus amandava') seven years

and five months.


Black-headed Chestnut Finch (Munia atricapilla) nine and

a half years. Still alive.



