BIRD-SEED. 109 



for this dainty morsel, and, so long as he has one 

 ^eed, will not taste either rape or canary. This, 

 being the richest of all seed, should be fed very 

 sparingly. If the bird is in health and song, never 

 give hemp ; for it only fattens, and, if constantly fed, 

 will ruin the song. Occasionally a bird seems deli- 

 cate, and is a very small eater : in such a case give 

 a few hemp, — and only a few, unless the bird be 

 a long breed, in which case give about a thimble- 

 ful, not oftener than twice a week. Goldfinches and 

 siskins are fed upon 



Maw-seed, sometimes called poppy. These two lit- 

 tle climbing birds have very soft bills, — that is, the 

 young birds, — and it is with difficulty that they 

 crack rape and canary seed, unless it has been previ- 

 ously soaked, until the birds are at least two years old. 

 All birds are great lovers of maw-seed ; and it must 

 be fed sparingly; for, being a powerful opiate, 

 they will feed upon it until they drop from the 

 perch from its intoxicating effect. The few birds 

 that require this seed, besides the preceding, are the 

 bulfinch, canary, and occasionally some other seed- 

 eating bird ; for which see Treatment of Birds. The 

 next seed used is called 



Paddy, — unhuUed or rough rice. This seed is fed 

 to most of the seed-eating birds of the rice-fields of 

 the Southern States, and also those that come from 

 China, Java, or in fact from any part of the world 

 that rice is grown. All of the family of grosbeaks 

 are particularly fond of it, as is also the Java spar- 

 row and rice bird. Our native bobolink is not 



