312 ENGLISH TALKING BIBDS. 



The KAVEN never ought to be put in a cage at all, and those who 

 have not got an outhouse for Kalpho, and plenty of room for him to 

 run about in, never ought to keep a raven. Like the magpie, it will 

 at anything it can get down its throat, even the mortar out of a wall 

 when there is nothing better to be had. It can imitate almost any 

 sound it hears, and is by many considered a better talker than 

 the magpie ; it is also equally mischievous, and when it has accom- 

 plished its purpose and is discovered, is apt to go off with a tri- 

 umphant cry, as though it quite enjoyed the fun. It has a peculiar 

 side- long step, and when alarmed, makes noise enough to startle every 

 sleeper in the neighbourhood for a long mile round. 



If the JACKDAW is not a good talker, he will make noise enough for 

 a dozen birds, and thinks " no small beer of himself." Jack ought 

 to have his wings cut, and be allowed to hop about, for he is a most 

 amusing old-fashioned fellow. Then it is impossible to expect him 

 to remain silent, living as he has done up in the old church tower among 

 the clanging of bells that must have shaken every feather in his body 

 while he listened to them. You should see him kill a mouse just 

 one tap of his thick, hard, horny beak, and Mr. Mouse is done for. 

 A little bread and meat, or any odds and ends, seem to satisfy him. 

 Some sounds he can imitate capitally, and one we knew so closely 

 imitated the cry of a milkman as to bring the servant maids up the 

 area steps with their jugs, when " Milk-o" was two or three street 

 off. His hearing must have been very acute, for the milkman gene- 

 rally appeared some five minutes after the jackdaw commenced 

 crying " Milk-o," and no doubt the bird heard him long before any- 

 body else did. 



The JAY is a beautiful bird, and quite an ornament to a garden. 

 He can imitate a number of sounds, such as that of a man drawing 

 a cork, the mewing of a cat, the bleating of a lamb, and the sounds 

 of a few words, though never very distinctly. The blue markings on 

 the jay's wings are richer than those of any other English bird. The 

 Ijay will eat most kinds of grain, and when caged, nothing better can 

 be given it than bread, a few acorns, and plenty of wheat. 



The STARLING, in spite of all Sterne 

 says to the contrary, seems to make 

 itself quite as comfortable in a cage 

 as most birds. The same food as that 

 given to the woodlark seems to suit 

 this bird as well as any when in con- 

 finement. It is also fond of meat. 

 The bird is prettily marked, but is of 

 no great value either as a singing or 

 a talking bird, and soon forgets all it 

 has been taught. Old Shaddy used 

 to say that a starling might be taught 

 to talk as many languages as it had slits made in its tongue, and 

 that with a like practice it soon becomes perfect in Hebrew, Greek, 

 and Arabic. 



