60 OUR HOME PETS 



The same birds like ants' eggs, which may 

 be bought at bird stores, and sometimes at 

 drug stores. Half a teaspoonful of these 

 should have very hot water poured on them 

 and soaked till soft, then be put in a dish or 

 on the bird's food for him to pick up. A 

 bone with some bits of meat left on is a treas- 

 ure to many birds, though it is somewhat un- 

 sightly in a house, and better fitted to be tied 

 to a branch out-of-doors for the wild birds to 

 enjoy. Food must always be fresh and of the 

 best quality, or birds will not thrive. 



It is almost impossible to keep from feeding 

 parrots and other birds who are free about a 

 house some of our food, and many of them 

 show a great fondness for it. I know cocka- 

 toos who make a great row unless they have 

 their morning coffee, and many of them eat of 

 everything on the table, including hot dough- 

 nuts. But this diet is not gof>d for them, and 

 one day they will suddenly die, and no one sus- 

 pect the cause. I have seen a parrot changed 

 from a cross, bad-tempered fellow into a gen- 

 tle, amiable bird, simply by having his diet 

 limited to seed, and other things which he had 

 been accustomed to eat denied him. 



