138 THE SMALLER BRITISH EIRDS. 



filled with moss. The food given at first should be moist bread and 

 hempseed, mixed with small pieces of raw meat. The fledglings 

 require to be fed several times a day, and a drop of water should 

 be allowed to full into their mouths occasionally. As they grow older 

 a little gravel should be mixed with their food, to strengthen their 

 bones and prevent cramp. Their diet should afterwards consist of the 

 same paste of bruised hempseed, etc., but should be frequently varied 

 with yolk of egg boiled hard and crumbled, and flies, small moths, 

 aphides, or any other insects that can be procured. 



The Willow Warbler may be reared by hand in the same manner, 

 or it may be taken in an adult state, in which latter case it becomes 

 accustomed to the food of the aviary if flies are mixed with it. It 

 is, however, a delicate bird, and must be kept very warm during the 

 winter. 



The Chiff Chaff soon becomes very tame in confinement, and will 

 thrive if treated like the previous birds. Mr. Sweet says, "One that 

 I caught soon became so familiar that when out in the room, if a 

 fly was held towards it, it would fly up and take it out of the hand. 

 It was also taught to drink milk out of a tea-spoon, by putting 

 some flies into it; if the spoon was held towards it, and it was called 

 Sylvia, it would fly up and perch on the finger, or on the handle 

 of the spoon and drink the milk." The Dartford Warbler should be 

 managed exactly the same as the other species. 



The Wren is a difficult bird to preserve in confinement, Bechstein 

 says he has never succeeded in keeping it alive for more than a 

 year; he recommends that when first caught it be fed on mealworms, 

 flies, and elderberries, by the use of which it may after a time be 

 brought to eat the common paste. The Goldcrest is a charming occu- 

 pant of an aviary. While he pleases the eye by his small size and 

 beautiful plumage, he delights the ear by his sweet and melodious, 

 though weak song. The Rev. W. Herbert states that he caught half 

 a dozen of these tiny birds at the beginning of winter, and they lived 

 extremely well on egg and meat. At roosting time there was always 

 an amusing conflict among them for inside places, as being the warmest. 

 A severe frost, however, killed all but one in a single night, although 

 they were kept in a furnished drawing-room. Bechstein says they may 

 be fed upon the common paste, but must never be allowed to touch 

 rape or camelina seed, either of which would immediately kill them. 



