TRAPPING BIRDS. 127 



such is the fact. To those who have not studied this 

 branch of natural history, and buy for the first time a 

 bird and cage, always take the bird-dealer's advice as 

 regards the cage. Your bird will then sing readily, 

 remain quiet, and not fly as if afraid of his life, and 

 ruin his plumage the first day that you possess him. 



TRAPPIN ; BIRDS. Bird-dealers are constantly re, 

 ceiving orders and calls for " bird-lime." This article 

 is made from the inside bark of the holly, a tree 

 almost unknown in this country, though very plentiful 

 in England. A substitute for this can be made by 

 boiling linseed-oil away to about one-third the quan- 

 tity you start with. It is a very dangerous operation, 

 and should never be done in a house, its explosive 

 qualities being fully equal to gunpowder. It will make 

 a very strong bird-lime, and hold any small bird that 

 lights upon a twig that has been smeared with it. 

 Unless, however, the trapper is near at hand to remove 

 the bird at once, he becomes besmeared all over his 

 body and wings ; and it is almost impossible to remove 

 it until the bird moults, thereby, for the time being, 

 ruining the sale of it. A far better way is with a TRAP- 

 CAGE, and a bird for a caller ; and, if you can obtain 

 a blind bird, he will sit quietly, and call all day long, 

 and many, very many more birds can be taken than 

 if the bird had his sight. 



WRAPPING BIRDS. There are very many people 

 who think that a bird will " smother " if covered up 

 closely. Such, however, is not the case. A dealer 

 knows better than any one else possibly can. And, 

 if the purchaser would only remain quiet until the 



