FOOD. 15 



IV. FOOD. 



THE chief consideration to be attended to, in choosing food for 

 the various species of cage-birds, is to select that which bea-rs 

 the closest resemblance to their natural diet. In many cases, 

 this is exceedingly difficult, and in some impossible ; as, for in- 

 stance, how can we procure the seeds on which many of the 

 East India birds, which adorn our aviaries, are accustomed to 

 feed : And thus a great obstacle in the way of our success is to 

 accustom cage-birds, or rather their stomachs, to such food as we 

 are compelled to offer them ; though there are birds, it is true, 

 such as Chaffinches, Yellow-hammers, Thrushes, &c., which 

 as soon as they are brought to the house, eat without hesita- 

 tion or detriment, whatever is given to them. Others, how- 

 ever, are more delicate, and at first, partly from grief, and partly 

 from want of their usual fare, will eat nothing. It is indeed 

 considered a bad sign if such birds as are generally accounted 

 delicate, begin to eat greedily as soon as put into the cage as 

 it is thought to indicate an unnatural indifference at the loss of 

 freedom, which can only proceed from disease. If, on the 

 contrary, they sulkily hide themselves in a corner for some 

 hours, there is little need to be anxious about them, as when 

 the sulky fit is allowed to wear itself off, they usually begin to eat 

 heartily. On this subject Dr. MEYER of Offenbach writes to 

 me as follows : An almost infallible method of inducing fresh- 

 caught birds to take the food of the aviary, is to leave them 

 undisturbed for some hours in a cage, where water and the ap- 

 propriate food are easily accessible. If the bird do not eat, it 

 is to be dipped in fresh cold water, and replaced in the cage. 

 It will sit for a few moments apparently quite exhausted, but 

 will soon recover and begin to plume itself, and after a minute 

 or two will become exceedingly lively, and begin to eat. The 

 appetite thus incited in birds by the use of the bath, is ana- 

 logous to the same phenomenon in the human being. 



In order to elucidate the general rules which I shall give, as 

 to the FOOD of cage-birds, I have divided them into four 

 classes : First, such as eat only seeds, as Canaries, Bullfinches, 

 Siskins, Linnets, Goldfinches, &c. Second, such as eat both seeds 

 and insects, as Quails, Larks of every species, Yellow-hammers, 

 and the various kinds of Tits. Some of the last-mentioned 

 species, however, partly subsist upon berries. Thirdly, such 



