MANAGEMENT OF CAPTIVE BIRDS. 191 
purely insectivorous kinds should not be kept by anyone 
who cannot command a constant supply of live insects. 
Green food, such as the various salad vegetables, is 
needed by seed-eating birds, and may be sometimes eaten 
by insect-eaters. If these do not naturally eat any 
salad or fruit when offered, it is well to mix a little finely- 
mixed lettuce in their paste, to make up for the green 
stuff which they swallow inside caterpillars. Green food 
for seed-eaters should be securely tied up, not thrown in. 
A few birds commonly kept are Honey-suckers to sore 
extent. They should have sweetened sop or satoo-pap 
allowed them, but nothing sticky. Extreme care should 
also be taken not to give sour food to any bird. In 
reason, the more varied sorts of food a bird can be got 
to eat the better; but it should never be kept long on 
any artificial food exclusively, and its diet should never be 
suddenly changed altogether. 
The idea that birds always know whatis good for them 
is a mistake ; they will over-eat themselves disgracefully. 
A bird which has not had fruit, green food or insects 
for some time should only receive such food sparingly 
at first, or it will make itself very ill, or even die out- 
right. 
Grit, Lime AND Sa.r. 
All seed-eating birds, and a good many others, need 
grit, such as coarse sand or fine gravel stones, to help in 
the digestion of their food. This should be given sepa- 
rately in a box if the aviary is not bedded with sand or 
earth. Only a very sparing allowance of grit should be 
