Chapter V 



HINTS ON THE REARING AND KEEPING OF 

 BIRDS 



MOST of the hard-billed birds and many of the soft-billed may 

 be reared with ease, but the latter are rather more delicate. The 

 hard-billed birds, so called, include the finches, sparrows, and any 

 birds that break seed. The soft-billed are those that eat chiefly 

 insects and fruit. 



People often complain that their birds die from no apparent 

 cause : my experience has been quite different, for though I have 

 reared a good many birds of various kinds, I have never had but 

 one death in my bird family, and that was a young redstart which 

 had fallen from the top of a tree, where its nest was situated. I 

 attribute my good fortune to the fact that my young birds get their 

 meals with regularity and with each meal a drink of water. 



I believe it is the lack of water that is responsible for so many 

 deaths, especially when the birds are very young. 



The best time to take fledglings is about a day or so before 

 they are ready to leave the nest ; they are then fairly strong and 

 have something to boast of in the way of looks. 



When the nest happens to be a long way from home, it is 

 necessary to feed the birds every hour en route. With any of the 

 frugivorous varieties a blackcap or any thoroughly ripe berry may 

 be given, but it should first be masticated. For regular diet during 

 the first two weeks or so feed with mashed boiled potato thor- 

 oughly mixed with the yolk of eggs hard boiled ; this must not 

 be used if in the least sour, and to guard against this it should 

 be made fresh every day. A small smooth stick of hard, non- 

 absorbent wood, such as clay-modellers employ, may be used for a 

 spoon ; after each meal it should be dipped into water and a few 

 drops put into the bird's mouth ; every hour this performance 

 takes place, from six in the morning till nearly dark. You see 



24 



