278 Mr. Montagu's Observations 



mutton, varied with bread soaked in milk, and boiled rice, they 

 throve considerably : but it was observable, when the weather was 

 wet, and grasshoppers could not be procured, especially if the 

 goodness of the meat was not carefully attended to, that they be- 

 came visibly weak : such was the case at one time that they lost 

 the use of their legs after they had become perchers, Avhich we attri- 

 buted to the defect of insect food, and the meat that was usually 

 cut for them having in warm damp weather turned sour ; for, on 

 instant recourse to grasshoppers in greater abundance, with less 

 and perfectly fresh meat, they were soon restored to the use of 

 their limbs. 



Before these captive birds were capable of flying, a person was 

 sent to the nest to see what was become of the two which had 

 been returned so weakly ; as at this time indisposition confined us 

 within doors, and prevented the furtherance of a design of decoy- 

 ing the parent birds to the house by means of their young if they 

 should be found alive in the nest, of whioh we had some doubts ; 

 but we were agreeably surprised to find that they had not only re- 

 covered, but had acquired so much superior growth to those under 

 the care of foster parents, that only one was secured : this proved 

 to be a female, as was plainly discernible on comparison, and at 

 once bespoke the other two to be males. At first this refused all 

 sustenance (as is usual with all young birds after the age of dis- 

 criminating their parents), but by the example of the others gap- 

 in<r for food, it soon became familiarized to the hand that fed it. 



As soon as they could peck (as it is termed), that is, when they 

 were capable of picking up their own food, it became requisite to 

 find out a proper substitute for soft meat; and what was most likely 

 to be the winter provision of these hard-billed birds was resorted 

 to : common grain, such as wheat, barley, and oats, were pre- 

 sented to them, as well as groats or husked oats, at the same time 



allowing 



