Z HISTORY OF 



placed as near the spot where the bird sings as 

 possible; and before you fix the trap, turn up 

 the earth twice the breadth of the cage, because 

 they will there look for food* They are also 

 taken with lime twigs, placing them upon the 

 hedge where they usually sing j and there should 

 be meal-worms stuck at proper places to draw 

 them into the snare. After they are taken, their 

 wings should be gently tied with thread to pre- 

 vent their beating themselves against the cage. 

 This should be first hung in a private place, that 

 the bird may not be disturbed; and it should 

 be fed every two hours, at farthest, with sheep- 

 heart and egg minced very fine, mixing it with 

 meal-worms. However the first food must be 

 worms, ants, caterpillars, and flies. You must, 

 to feed the bird, take it in your hand, and open 

 the bill with a stick made thick at one end, giv- 

 ing it the insects, or four or five bits of food as big 

 as peas, to entice it to eat. Its common food 

 should be mixed with ants, so that when the bird 

 goes to pick up the ants, it may pick up some of 

 that also. The nightingale, when caged, begins 

 to sing about the latter end of November, and 

 continues its song till June. 



