8 INTRODUCTION. 



delicate, will absolutely eat nothing, either through disgust of 

 their new food, or despair at the loss of their liberty; with 

 these great precaution is necessary. Dr. Meyer, of Offenbach, 

 writes to me on this subject as follows : " The following is 

 the best method of accustoming newly-taken birds to their 

 change of food, a thing which is often very difficult to accom- 

 plish with some species. After having put the bird in the 

 cage it must be left quiet for some hours, without disturbing 

 it at all ; it must then be taken and plunged into fresh water, 

 and immediately replaced in the cage. At first it will appear 

 faint and exhausted, but it will soon recover, arrange its feathers, 

 become quite lively, and will be sure to eat whatever is given 

 to it. It is a well known fact that bathing gives an appetite 

 to birds, for the same reason that it does to men." 



If, as an exception, one of these delicate birds, among which 

 are most of the songsters, eats with eagerness as soon as it is 

 brought into the house, it is a sign of death, for it seems like 

 an indifference which is not natural, and which is always the 

 consequence of disease. Those birds which retire into a corner, 

 moping for some hours, are the most likely to live ; it is only 

 requisite to leave them alone, and by degrees they recover from 

 their sullenness. 



In order to give some general rules for the best food for house 

 birds, I have divided them into four classes : 



The first comprehends those birds which live only on seeds, 

 such as canaries, goldfinches, and siskins. 



The second are those which feed on both seeds and insects; 

 such as quails, larks, chaffinches, and bullfinches; some of 

 these also eat berries and the buds of trees. 



The third are those which seek only berries and insects, such 

 as nightingales, redbreasts, thrushes, and fauvettes. 



The fourth are those which eat insects only, such as wagtails, 

 wheatears, stonechats, and blue-breasts. 



The species in this last class are the most difficult to 

 preserve; but most of them, having nothing particular in 

 their song, offer no compensation for the trouble and care 

 which they require ; but the following is the best method for 

 success. After having collected the flies, which in spring 

 may often be seen in great numbers on the windows of old 

 buildings, they must be dried, and preserved in a jar. When 



