The British Warblers. 15 



than one hundred years ago, and I gave instances of the suc- 

 cessful domestication of the Martin and Swift. Yet when, years 

 later, a Swallow appeared on the show-bench, everyone thought 

 it a marvel ! Until some genius introduces us to a wholesome, 

 nutritious insect, which can be propagated cheaply and in quan- 

 tities at any time of the year, the feeding of Warblers must 

 remain as it is at present, a compromise between a natural and 

 an artificial diet. 



Nevertheless, the system which I shall venture to put 

 before you is an attempt to render the feeding of insectivorous 

 birds more simple, more economical and more natural. I aim at 

 feeding the Warblers entirely on live insect food but, inasmuch 

 as this is not always practicable, it is absolutely necessary to 

 have some kind of stock- food as a stand b}'. The very best I 

 know of is Mr. Galloway's "Life" food, which, I believe, is 

 chiefly composed of dried flies and ant-cocoons and " gram " 

 (known in India as satoo or saiiu). I use a good deal of " Life " 

 and I should use more if I were wealthier, but a family of some 

 forty Soflbills is not fed for nothing. I, therefore, substitute for 

 general use ordinary sponge-cakes, as sold at twenty-five a shill- 

 ing. They are fairly nutritious, require no preparation, and 

 cannot by any possibility become stale or sour. I do not crumble 

 or damp them. There is alleged to be some q^^ in sponge-cakes, 

 with regard to which I can only say "' credat Judtzns Apella^' but 

 at all events I do not use egg in any other form. Freshly-boiled 

 yolk of egg is, however, undoubtedly nutritious and we must also 

 accept the fact, strange as it may appear, that some aviculturists 

 can use even stale egg with success. For instance, our member 

 Mr. Tinniswood Miller recently recommended i\n Bird Notes) a. 

 soft-food mixture which included " the yokes of two hard-boiled 



eggs rubbed in, made up fresh every week'' (my italics), 



and Mr. Miller, as we all know, is most successful with his birds. 



The only practicable and inexpensive form of live insect 

 food which I at present know of is gentles. These are somewhat 

 indigestible and most unpalateable ; hence our Warblers will 

 not eat many at a time, and we can, therefore, afford to keep 

 some always before them. Instead of gorging on live-food my 

 Warblers take a few from time to time as they feel inclined. 



