Food. 45 



great simplicity. Soak thoroughly in cold water a 

 well-baked stale wheateu loaf, press the water out of 

 it, pour cold milk upon it, and mix it with two -thirds 

 of its own weight of barley or wheat meal, well ground 

 and sifted. 



A third paste is made thus : Grate a carrot (which 

 may be kept in sand, in a cool place for a year) on 

 a grater, which must afterwards be immediately 

 washed quite clean; thoroughly soak a penny roll 

 in cold water, press the water out, and mix the bread 

 and carrot with two handfuls of wheat or barley meal, 

 pounding the whole together thoroughly in a mortar. 



Except so far as the pounded bread meal itself is 

 concerned, these pastes must be made entirely fresh 

 each day; and the vessels in which they are kept 

 (Philipps' glass preserve jars answer admirably, with 

 glass lids) and the feeding trough (of earthenware) 

 must be very well cleansed each day. 



5. The birds do not always take to these pastes 

 quite kindly. It is often requisite to humour some 

 dainty individuals by observing their tastes, and 

 mixing with the paste some of their favourite viands, 

 poppy seed, pounded hemp, or the universally liked 

 ants' eggs. Still it cannot be said to give such a 

 temptation to this and such to another bird, for so 

 much depends on their up-bringing ; and though 

 we may know what different ones ought to like, it is 

 by no means sure that they do so. 



