on the best system of feeding insectivorous birds. 141


try ancl improve upon it, and I hope that what I am about to say

with regard to feeding, &c., will prove a help to those who have not

been able to keep soft-billed birds successfully, or have been afraid

to try them, thinking there would he a great difficulty in keeping

them in fine condition.


The foods I shall describe will be found very beneficial to

many of the foreign insectivorous birds. All the British insect and

fruit-eating species can he kept in fine condition, and I shall put

them into groups simply to show the way I advise feeding each

group.


No. 1 group.—We will include the Mistlethrush, Fieldfare, Ring

Ouzel, Redwing, Blackbird, Songthrush, Starling, Skylark,

and Woodlark.


The feeding of these birds is so well known, and they are all

fairly hardy, that I do not think it necessary to dwell on these,

except that I would like to say these birds should not be fed on

their stock food only, although they may appear to do well on it.

The thrush family require insect life in the shape of common earth¬

worms, snails, &c., and in April when ripe ivy berries can be found

they should have some, also a little fruit in summer, such as ripe

strawberries and cherries : the latter they are passionately fond of

and will feed upon these in the wild state almost entirely whilst they

last. In autumn a bunch of ripe elderberries will be relished by

these birds.


Although all these birds are hardy and easy to keep, the

change of natural food, in the way of fruit and live insect diet, will

put the finishing touch to an otherwise healthy bird.


The woodlark and skylark require, in addition to their daily

soft food, some young clover, and as a change a little lettuce chopped

fine aiid are all the better for a little live food such as ants’ eggs or

mealworms. They do not require a lot of the latter put into their

cage at a time, a couple of mealworms occasionally will suffice, hut

this amount would not be nearly enough for those species which one

might term delicate feeders, such as the nightingale, etc.


No. 2 group.—We will take the Woodpecker, the Green, Greater,

and Lesser Spotted, and include also the Nuthatch.


The first mentioned species is rather more difficult to cater



