88 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



a generous nature are cleared away, nothing 

 can replace the insect life that once harboured 

 there, and certain soft-billed birds must have 

 certain insects. 



Caged nightingales do not, as some think, 

 require covering up to make them sing that 

 idea, like many more connected with kept 

 birds, is simply ridiculous ; but the amount 

 of care and thought required, when they are 

 kept as pets, to make birds of this kind happy, 

 would hardly be credited. When winter comes, 

 all kinds of expedients have to be resorted to, 

 so that their food may in some measure resemble 

 that which they would forage for and procure 

 in a state of Nature ; but it is well worth all the 

 time spent to see the full-eyed bird ruffle him- 

 self out and cock his head on one side, before 

 he comes down from his perch to take some 

 dainty from your fingers. It is necessary for 

 some naturalists to keep certain creatures for 

 a time, in order to disprove ideas about them 

 which have unfortunately got into print. In- 

 sects, small fruits, and berries compose his bill 

 of fare in their seasons, and when our small 

 fruits are ripe, the nightingale is ready to visit 

 his winter quarters in other lands. 



The blackcap, blackcapped-fauvet, or mock- 



