HILL, OR ROCK, MINOR. 217 



ring, or any shiny article, to a piece of string, and attach it to his cage, and he will 

 play with it for hours : it gives him as much delight as the infant has who tries to 

 make two dogs out of one by separating the animal's tail from his body. 



When confined in the climate of England or America, so much colder than that 

 of his native land, the bird needs a more hearty diet than the boiled rice. He will 

 eat almost every thing, but keeps in the best condition on the regular prepared food. 

 If the moist variety is used, raw carrot should be grated, and mixed in with it, 

 at least once a week. Lean, raw beef, scraped fine, may be given twice a week. 

 There is little danger of overfeeding : after the bird has partaken of a large meal 

 of his regular food, he will accept and thoroughly stow away any number of meal- 

 worms, spiders, grasshoppers, and other insects. It is quite worth while occasion- 

 all} 7 to give him an extra " spread " of this kind, to see the look of sweet resigna- 

 tion and ineffable happiness his countenance will display. As with men under like 

 outward pressure, it is then really that a strong sense of his own greatness seems 

 to cry out for recognition. Only web-footed birds are more fond of a plunge than 

 is our Minor. The tub, too frequently offered, is almost sure to result in cramps 

 for the bird. Let him bathe, not more than once a day, and every other day is still 

 better. Let an abundance of gravel be strewn in the cage to help him digest the 

 heavy meals. Two or three hours of sunshine will have a tendency to keep his 

 plumage glossy and brilliant. With proper treatment he will live from fifty to 

 seventy-five years. The only ailments to guard against are constipation and indi- 

 gestion, which are cured by feeding banana or orange. In some cases a dose of 

 olive-oil is necessary. 



The Minor sometimes alarms his owner by attempting to stow away in his crop 

 a pebble 6f larger dimensions than can be swallowed. If not attended to, the bird 

 might gradually choke to death. A case of this kind demands prompt action : catch 

 the bird, and, holding him firmly in the hand, administer a strong dose of castor- 

 oil, meanwhile rubbing the bird's throat gently in order to work the obstruction into 

 the crop. His diet should, for a few days after, consist only of the richest foods. 

 The difference in the sexes of Minors cannot be distinguished by any difference in 

 their capabilities of learning : males and females seem to equally possess talking 

 powers. Minors are not plenty, for only one or two specimens at a time are imported 

 by the sailors. No regular importation of them takes place ; but single specimens 

 of young birds, or birds which have a partially acquired education, may be found 

 for sale occasionally. 



The Mad Minor, so called to distinguish him from the Rock Minor, is an inhabit- 

 ant of the same countries as the other variety, but lives only in marshy or swampy 

 tracts of ground, and is of the same nature as our native marsh-birds. Although 

 I have seen several specimens, not a single bird seems to possess the vocal powers 

 of the Rock Minor. They are somewhat smaller than that bird, and lack his bril- 

 liant plumage. The beak : and feet are of a pale yellowish color, and the entire 

 body is of a dusky green color. 



Only the longest cages, twenty-four to thirty inches long, with perches arranged 

 to permit long jumping for exercise, is proper for either class. Gravel should be 

 used for the purpose of keeping the cage clean, as well as to aid the bird's diges- 

 tion. 



