SEEDS AND FOODS, RECIPES, DISEASES, MEDICINES. Vt r 4 



as compared with them. The appearance of the best rape-seed should be clear and 

 bright. The seed should be mild to the taste, and not withered in appearance. The 

 cheaper grades of rape-seed work much harm among all kinds of birds : these 

 grades are much darker and larger, and very bitter. Special care should be exer- 

 cised when selecting rape-seed for trained Bullfinches and the best class of German 

 Canaries. 



Sunflower-seed is a black, flat, oval seed, and, although seldom used, makes a 

 good addition and pleasant change when fed to the harder-billed seed-eating birds, 

 such as all classes of Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Parrots. 



Indian corn is used in many ways, and is fed boiled, and in a natural state whole 

 or cracked, in the mixtures for the larger class of Parrots. It should be fed in 

 addition to other seeds, as it is not of sufficient richness when given as the only 

 article of diet. 



Oats are usually fed the larger classes of soft-billed birds, such as Quails, 

 Larks, etc., and is mixed with the food of many of the seed-eating classes. 



Padda, or unhulled rice, as its name implies, is rice before the hulls are removed : 

 it forms an excellent addition to the mixtures used for the hardest-billed birds. It 

 should be fresh and clean : the light- colored, full seeds are the young seeds, and the 

 only quality which should be fed. 



Any of the above seeds are but rarely fed singly : they are usually given in 

 mixtures, which forms a change for the birds, and at the same time avoids the dan- 

 ger of too rich or too plain feeding. 



The best-known mixture is that usually given the common class of cage-birds, 

 such as the Canary, Linnet, Chaffinch, and numerous other varieties, and consists 

 of equal parts of canary, rape, and domestic millet seeds. 



For Goldfinches, Siskins, Yellow-birds, Crossbills, the mixture should be equal 

 parts of maw, canary, and hemp seeds. 



For Bullfinches, plain rape-seed, and occasionally a few grains of hemp in 

 addition. 



For Cardinals, Grosbeaks, etc., equal parts of padda, hemp, cracked corn, and 

 sunflower-seeds. Many persons use also some canary-seed. 



Parrots' foods vary, and the variety of seeds used are numerous : the best 

 mixture, if they can be accustomed to it, is, equal parts of hemp, padda, and cracked 

 corn. 



The small African Finches and Paroquets live principally on white French 

 millet and plain canary-seeds. 



All classes of birds like a change of food ; and, when this is given in the form of 

 fresh green food, the delight is doubled. Green food in its season should be given 

 fresh and almost daily, and may consist of lettuce, water-cress, groundsel, or 

 duckweed. Fruits may also be freely fed, and in the case of tropical birds this is 

 almost a necessity : any ripe fresh fruit forms an agreeable change of diet. 



Egg-mixture is found to be one of the chief articles of diet at the present day 

 for all the common, smaller classes of seed-eating birds : it .is especially useful in 

 breeding and moulting seasons, and in times of sickness. The receipts used for 

 mixing the egg and the other articles are numerous. One of the best is, To one whole 

 grated hard-boiled egg, add one-half the amount of bread-crumbs or grated German 



