254 THE COMMON REDSTART. 



DISEASES. Diarrhoea and atrophy carry off the greatest number. 



MODE OF TAKING. Sticks covered with bird-lime should be placed 

 across the hedges frequented by these birds ; they must then be driven 

 gently towards them. They are also attracted under nets, and amongst 

 limed twigs baited with meal-worms. In autumn they may be taken in 

 nooses, by suspending elderberries near them, either in orchards or thickets. 

 Those intended for the house should be taken in bird-traps or springes, 

 taking care that the wooden part be covered with felt or cork, to prevent 

 the legs being broken. The young ones of the first year are the easiest to 

 preserve. They also go to the water-trap without difficulty. 



ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES. Its plumage, and still more its song and 

 gprightliness, render this a delightful bird. It is always in motion, bowing, 

 and moving its tail from side to side at every step ; all its actions are 

 lively and graceful. It can improve its song, composed of some very 

 pretty strains, by adding to it parts of the songs of birds that are found 

 near it. For instance, those that build under my roof imitate tolerably 

 the chaffinch that hangs in a cage at my window ; and a neighbour of mine 

 has one in his garden that repeats some strains of a blackcap that has its 

 nest near. This facility in appropriating the song of other birds is rare 

 in birds that live in a state of liberty, and seems peculiar to this species. 

 They become so tame that they will take meal-worms from the hand. 



MR. SWEET'S ACCOUNT OF THE REDSTART. 



This is one of the handsomest of our British birds, visiting 

 us the latter end of March or beginning of April ; the earliest 

 arrival ever noticed was the 25th of March, and they generally 

 leave us the beginning of September. When they first arrive 

 they mostly frequent old buildings or out-houses, for the sake 

 of flies and small insects that often abound there. They build 

 their nest in a hole or crevice of a wall, or in a hollow tree. 

 They frequently ascend to the top of the highest tree within 

 their haunt, and there sit sometimes for a considerable time, 

 pouring out their quick and sort of fretful song. When kept 

 in confinement I consider it the most sensible, and, if brought 

 up from the nest, the most attached of all small birds ; but it 

 may be considered the most tender of the whole tribe. It is 

 a real mocker, and if bred up from a young one, will learn the 

 note or call of almost any other bird ; it will also learn a tune 

 that is whistled or sung to it, and will sing by night as well as 

 day if a light be kept in the room where it is. 



I was in possession of a handsome male bird of this species, 

 which I kept more than six years. It became very tame, though 

 an old wild bird when first caught, and it was so attached 



