The Zoologist — December, 1874. 4245 



'gatim M |i;eto '§m]\s. 



Birds, their Cages and their Keep : being a Practical Manual of 

 Bird-keeping and Bird-rearing. By K. A. Buist. Post 8vo, 

 178 pp. letterpress; six plates, one of them coloured. London: 

 Macmillau & Co. 1874. 



It has rarely fallen to my lot to receive for review a book got 

 up in better taste than this on ' Birds, their Cages and their Keep.' 

 A query arises, certainly of no great importance, — a query perhaps 

 prompted by curiosity rather than anything else, — Is the book 

 written by a lady or a gentleman .'' 1 think it is nowhere stated to 

 which " institution" the author or authoress belongs. In either case 

 it is my duty to treat the said author or authoress with courtesy, but 

 in the latter case something more is desirable, for the phraseology 

 occasionally requires indulgence. 



The work is divided into fifteen chapters, having respectively 

 the following headings: — 1, Essentials to Bird-keeping; 2, Clean- 

 liness, and when to Clean ; 3, Cages ; 4, Situation and Food- 

 vessels; 5, Food; 6, Health and Illness; 7, Red Mites; 8, Breeding; 

 9, Personal Characteristics; 10, Beneficial Effects of Society; 

 11, Taming Birds; 12, Performing Birds; 13, Varieties of the 

 Canary; 14, Hints on Foreign Birds; 15, Conclusion. From this 

 list it would appear that no branch of the subject is neglected; 

 but when I inform my readers that fourteen of these chapters 

 are devoted to the Canary, and one only to all the other cage-birds, 

 it will be tolerably manifest that the book itself scarcely fulfils the 

 promise of its title, and still less the requirements of the bird-keeping 

 fraternity. In the estimation of the writer, the Canary enjoys au 

 all-engrossing importance, an importance that would preclude 

 attention to all other birds. K. A. B. is, however, perfectly aware 

 that everyone may not participate in this sentiment, and therefore 

 explains that "although these pages are nominally [?] dedicated 

 to the Canary, it may prove useful to revive a ievf common-place 

 practical suggestions as to the different varieties of foreign birds 

 that will live happily with our pretty yellow old-established friend." 

 So that it seems that other birds are only to be thought of in 

 reference to their disposition to fraternise with Canaries ! But the 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. IX. 3 L 



