334 Ca.vartes and Cage-Birds. 



upper mandible is admiraoly adapted. There is little difference between the plumage of the 

 male and female. It should be fed and treated as the Yellow-hammer. 



The Snow Bunting visits this country during the winter, sometimes appearing in large 

 flocks, and at other times rarely met with. The plumage is light and handsome, but as it is a 

 somewhat dull bird, it is not desirable for either cage or aviary. When wild it generally 

 frequents wheat stubbles in high and open country, and is seldom found near inhabited places. 

 It should be fed and treated as the Yellow-hammer. 



The Lapland Bunting is a very handsome bird, but uncommon, as is also the Ortolan 

 .Bunting, which latter, however, is not so prettily marked, being somewhat heavy of plumage. 

 In the aviary these birds should be fed and treated as recommended for the Yellow-hammer. 



Although we have generally been in the habit of separating our seed-eating birds from the 

 Warblers and other soft-billed birds, also devoting another small aviary to the Tits and Nuthatch, 

 it may be well to remark that they all will thrive together, as we have proved by experience 

 during our personal superintendence of the aviary of Mr. H. A. Jenner, which is in a garden 

 upon the outskirts of Brighton. It is a wooden construction about five feet by si.x; feet, with 

 a slanting roof rising from three feet to five feet. The floor is of wood, raised about four feet from 

 the ground ; a portion of one side is of wire, one other glass, and the remainder wood ; the 

 roof is a quarter glass and the rest wood. The wooden sides are lined with virgin cork, pieces 

 of which, in imitation of branches, are fixed as perches. In this aviary have been confined as 

 many as forty birds at one time, which have thriven remarkably well, the greatest trouble 

 and anxiety having been to keep the ice on the water-trough broken during the severe winter 

 of 1878-79. Almost all the Finches and the principal Warblers and Buntings are well 

 represented, also three species of Wagtail — a grey Wagtail being an especial feature. The 

 Woodlark and Tree Pipits are very handsome specimens, but the most amusing of all are 

 some Titmice, who are very daring little birds, stealing everything they, can, and often pur- 

 loining a mealworm from the beak of a much larger bird. These birds are given daily one 

 hard-boiled egg chopped fine or run through a sieve, about two ounces of stale bread-crumbs, 

 two ounces of German paste, all of which is mixed together ; besides which we supply them with 

 a mixture of canary-seed, hemp, oat-grits, linseed, rape, millet, and maw seeds, diminishing in 

 proportion as in order named. Some scraped beef is mi.xed with the ^S,%, bread-crumbs, and 

 German paste about two or three times a week; chopped nuts of any description are given daily; 

 also some fruit, such as grapes, currants, elderberries, strawberries, &c., and when they are not 

 procurable, soaked grocers' currants make a fair substitute. A pear is always a treat, as is also 

 a damped sponge-cake. Mealworms are always kept, and gentles are often given in summer, 

 as well as groundsel for the Finches, as we find that the more natural food the birds obtain, the 

 better their song and the handsomer their plumage. 



5f" m -'y^^^'-- 



