WHICH SHALL WE CHOOSE? 19 



A beautiful bird, but very difficult to keep 

 in health, is the scarlet tanager. He does not, 

 in a house, readily accept any food but living 

 flies, and he never ceases to regret his liberty. 

 If he has the companionship of several of his 

 kind, he is more likely to be contented ; but he 

 does not care for other birds, and he is almost 

 sure to mope and die. I know of but one bird- 

 dealer in New York who succeeds in keeping 

 this bird alive, and I think his secret is in 

 giving him plenty of company of his own 

 family. 



The golden -wing woodpecker, or nicker, 

 though extremely wild at first, and hard to 

 accustom to mocking-bird food, if carefully 

 treated, without being frightened, will become 

 tame and friendly. His song is very low and 

 rarely uttered, but his calls and cries are pleas- 

 ant, and suggestive of woods and summer days. 

 I do not regard him as a desirable pet, and 

 much -thought is needful to make him happy, 

 such as supplying the cage with fresh branches 

 on which to hammer. 



The blue-jay is a more than usually fasci- 

 nating pet when taken from the nest and never 

 accustomed to wild' life. He reminds one of a 



