48 THE NIGHTINGALE. 



early in December, 1873 ; and he did not cease to 

 sing until September, 1874. He moults with no 

 trouble at all, and since I have owned him has not 

 had a sick hour. Your books will show you that I 

 purchased him in the winter of 1872 ; and you dici 

 not advise me to buy him^ but to 'wait for a better 

 bird later in the season.' 



"I cannot agree with high authorities, that the 

 nightingale is a difficult bird to keep in the cage, 

 if you know how to take care of him. With the 

 very best of intentions, most persons starve their 

 nightingales. The bird is an enormous eater. Less 

 than half the size of a mocking-bird, he will eat 

 double the quantity of food that the mocking-bird 

 will eat ; and he requires it. But he is a very pa- 

 tient bird, and will not, as will both the mocking- 

 bird and black-cap, tell you by restless motion or 

 call that he needs food. You may never fear to 

 give a nightingale as much food as he will eat. 



" His daily bread and butter should be the pre- 

 pared mocking-bird's" food. Vary this food with 

 grated carrot and ants' eggs, hard-boiled egg and 

 ants' eggs, yellow turnip and ants' eggs, elderber- 

 ries and ants' eggs (all of these half and half each), 

 and ants' eggs moistened with water, alone by them- 

 selves, and you have a bill of fare that will give you 

 delicious song. 



" Can you obtain meal-worms, give your bird as 

 many as you can afford to give him. He will sing all 

 the better for every worm eaten. He is not a deli- 

 cate bird, as, for example, the mocking-bird, if you 



