238 CANARIES AND CAGE-BIRDS. 



first captured in the tropical forests. Each bird is of so slight value in Africa, that r 

 if the trapper should depend on catching Finches in trap-cages, he would die a 

 strict teetotaller before catching birds enough to obtain the coveted quantity of 

 liquor. The trap-cage plan would entail quite a good deal of work too. Our 

 African has a chronic hatred of work, and loves the " Old Medford : " so he strolls 

 about until he finds a piece of forest where hundreds of the Finches roost ; then, 

 obtaining a peculiar kind of wood, which, when burning, stupefies the birds, he 

 stretches his sort of blanket made of large leaves, lights the odorous tinder, and 

 catches blankets full of Finches faster than he can transfer them to the boxes. 



There is another method of catching the birds, which still better agrees with 

 the negroes' well known-laziness ; and, on the score that the plan is "clean gone 

 black," it is entitled to great credence. There may be some sceptics who will say 

 " that style of trapping is all bosh: " it remains for them to prove that. Here i* 

 the outline of the second method of trapping birds. An African king, named 

 "Pretty Blue Eyes," called his harem together, and notified them that a bark was 

 in the harbor, having on board various casks of New-England pure spring-water, 

 for which the captain wanted a few little birds. "Get you hence to the forest, 

 all you younger women, whose hair is long and kinky, and pinned on tight by 

 nature ; sow on your heads sweet seeds, that the beautiful Cordon Finch loves so 

 well; then lie down, all of you, under the trees, quietly , sleep, but snore not! nor 

 brush the tarantula from your breasts until all the Cordon Bleus and Marechal 

 Neil Yellow-breasted Warblers are tangled in your wavy locks. Caught thus, 

 bring the birds to the lofty ship, whither I precede you, to test whether or no the 

 casks contain the delicious, inspiring, electric tonic mined in those dear old New- 

 England hills." 



The Finches and Nuns live eight to ten years, and, when acclimated, are sub- 

 ject to few or no diseases. They eat the white French millet-seed and Sicily 

 canary-seeds mixed three parts of millet to one part of canary. As they all are 

 natives of warm countries, care should be taken to keep them out of draughts of cold 

 air. They enjoy an abundance of coarse gravel to scratch in, and are fond of 

 cayenne pepper once a week : this pepper may be mixed with boiled egg. Green 

 stuff may be given daily in moderate quantities. It is necessary their cages should 

 be close wired, as they are able to fly out through the spaces of an ordinary 

 Canary-cage. 



These Finches and Nuns are hardy birds, and are seldom affected by diseases. 

 The Canary and these birds are of the same family, and in case of sickness they 

 should be treated just as that well-understood bird would be. 



The Orange Bishop Finch, one of the Weaver family, from the West Coast of 

 Africa, is a little smaller than the Canary, and a very handsome bird. The male's 

 plumage is a brilliant reddish orange and satin-like black. The cap on the head is 

 black, a wide band of long, orange -colored feathers encircles the neck, the blackest 

 and glossiest of plumage adorns the breast, and the back and tail are of orange 

 hues, so deep as to be dazzling. The female has only a brown color. No aviary 

 collection can be considered complete unless it contains one of these gorgeous and 

 sprightly birds. He is a lively and restless bird, and in order to be kept in good 

 humor, and made to behave, should be furnished with two or three mates. He is. 



