1^3 CANARIES AND CAGE-BIRDS. 



insects he is exceedingly fond ; and spiders, grubs, or worms of any kind, are 

 eagerly devoured by him. His appetite is enormous, and he will easily devour and 

 digest as much food as a bird twice his size. 



He is a very tender-footed bird ; by this I mean that his feet, if not properly 

 attended to, become easily diseased : therefore an abundance of dry, fresh gravel 

 should be constantly kept in the bottom of the cage. His feathers are very soft, 

 and become easily damaged from contact with the wires of the cage ; and if, when 

 first received, his plumage is damaged from being confined in a cage of too narrow 

 limits, he should daily receive a shower-bath of tepid water. The perches should 

 not be too close together, and kept far enough from the wires of his cage so that he 

 may not break his tail-feathers. In countries where the bird's care is best under- 

 stood, he is confined in a cage about 18 inches long, 8 inches deep, and 13 inches 

 high. The back may be of wood : and, whether the top is of wood or wire, it 

 should be lined with cloth ; so the bird, in flying up, shall not injure his plumage. 

 The bath should be freely given ; as his plumage requires daily dressing and arran- 

 ging, owing to its texture, and the ease with which it becomes soiled and spoiled if 

 not frequently bathed. 



The cage should be hung in a sunny exposure, free from all draughts of air : 

 under these conditions the bird's life is prolonged. He is a much hardier bird than 

 he is thought to be ; and, if rich food is freely given, his chances of life are as good 

 as those of any cage-bird. 



The Nightingale breeds easily in confinement ; and the principal objects which 

 insure success are, plenty of room, quiet, and an abundance of egg-food, insects, 

 and worms. 



The diseases to which the Nightingale is subject are, chiefly, constipation, diar- 

 rhoea, colds, asthma, decline, or melancholy. 



Constipation is caused by sour food, or feeding too much prepared food without 

 any addition or change. The drooping appearance of the bird, and his constant 

 uneasiness, betray this. Administer three or four drops of castor-oil in the begin- 

 ning, and let his daily rations of worms be soaked in oil before being fed him. 

 Feed an abundance of soaked ants' eggs, and green foods, until he is thoroughly 

 cured. Too much prepared food should not be given until some time after the cure 

 is assured. 



Diarrhoea comes usually from filthy drinking-cups, to which particles of vege- 

 table matter have adhered and grown poisonous. Owing to the abundance and 

 changes of food which is given the Nightingale, the drinking-water easily becomes 

 impure ; for this reason frequent cleansing of the cups is absolutely necessary. 

 Diarrhoea is noticed by the watery excrement. The bird should be put on food 

 which consists of hard-boiled egg, grated carrot, and the prepared food in equal 

 parts, the whole thoroughly sprinkled with maw-seed. Put a few drops of laudanum 

 or paregoric in the drinking-water, and he will be relieved in a short time by this 

 course of treatment. His food should afterwards be of the richest character. 



Colds and Asthma result in hanging the bird in draughts of air. If taken in 

 time, before the disease becomes too firmly seated, he may be cured : if, from neg- 

 lect, the disease is allowed to continue, it is difficult and almost impossible to cure. 

 Only the richest foods must t>e given ; and the bird should be hung in a warm, dry 



