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were always to be seen sitting on some railings a few yards distant; while

during the five days the eggs were being laid, they were never to be seen.


In captivity, they should be fed on ants’ eggs and hard-boiled eggs

mixed in equal parts, and as many mealworms as their keeper can afford to

give them. They become very tame, and will rise in the air and catch

mealworms as thay are thrown to them. In catching a mealworm, they

leave the perch and hover in the air, waiting for the mealworm to drop,

and catch it as it passes them ; if they should miss it, the}' follow it closely

and catch it as soon as it reaches the ground.


The reason they are so seldom seen in the cage, is probably due to

the difficulty with which they are ‘ meated off” when first captured.


The best plan formeating them off, is to get two or three together in a

moderate sized cage, giving them some water and food (as described above) in

some open receptacle, such as the lid of a cocoa tin. On the food place

some dozen or so of mealworms, which have been killed to prevent their

escape, and throw some alive on to the floor of the cage. The cage should

be placed in a quiet place, and left for some time, hook at them in the

evening, and unless there is a visible decrease in the food, it will be best to

cram them with two or three very small pieces of white of hard-boiled egg, a

mealworm and a drop of water. Give them their breakfast in a similar way,

and watch them carefully. If they begin to look ‘thick,’ that is, with their

feathers puffed out, give them a meal regularly every two hours. Should

no improvement show itself by the following morning, and they have

begun at the same time to lose flesh, it is best to let them go, as they will

never live in a state of confinement. If, on the other hand, they remain

close-feathered, they will probably be well on their food in a few days,

though it is best to watch them carefull}' for at least a week.


This plan would apply to all birds whose diet is an insectivorous one ;

but most of these submit themselves to captivity with better grace.


I make no mention here of handreariug, as it is a far more trying job,

and is, as a rule, far less satisfactory in its results.


There are three species of Flycatchers found in the British Isles: the

Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa grisola) ; the Pied Flycatcher (M. atricapiila ),

a small black and white bird ; and the Red-Breasted Flycatcher (M. fiarva).

The last two species are, however, scarce, and not likely to be met with by

ornithologists.



NEW BOOKS.


Foreign Finches in captivity , by Arthur G. Butler , Ph. D., etc. Pari II.


The second part of Dr. Butler’s charming work has, at length, made

its appearance, after a delay for which, it is only fair to say, neither author

nor artist was in anv way responsible. The account of the typical Finches

f Fringillince ) is now completed, and that of the Buntings ( Emberizince) is

commenced. The several species of the genus Serinus are clearly dis¬

tinguished and described, and a coloured illustration of each species is given,

which it is hoped will serve to clear up the confusion on this subject, which

has hitherto existed in popular works on aviculture, the term, “ wild canary”

having been impartiall}' applied to at least four distinct species, namely, the

Cape Canary, the Sulphur-coloured Seed-eater, the St. Helena Seed-eater,

and the Green Singing-finch.


The illustration of the Grey Singing-finch is particularly life like, but

the altitude of the male Alario finch in the same coloured plate is hardly

characteristic of that bird, which usually sits rather upright on its perch.


The Buntings treated of are the Nonpareil, the Indigo Bunting, the

Pileated Finch and the Red-crested Finch. Both sexes of the Nonpareil

are represented: it is curious that the female of this species is so seldom

imported. Most amateurs like to keep their birds in pairs and probably

dealers would have little difficulty in finding customers for hen Nonpareils.



