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beef mixed with soaked bread and mashed potato, with live

earthworms now and then, and mussels.


It is said that in their natural haunts the birds congregate

in flocks, and the Ruffs spend a great deal of time in the breeding

season in fighting—hence their specific name, pugnax ; but with

only keeping one pair, I cannot vouch for the truth of this.



BIRDS I HAVE KEPT.


By E. E. Smith.


The first bird I ever had was a hen Bullfinch, which I had

for nearly nine years, in perfect condition and very tame ; after

being caged all this time she started laying, and, in less than a

week, she laid five eggs on a rough heap of chickweed and

flowering grass which I had given as green food.


Thinking that even at that advanced age she might breed,

I procured a cock Goldfinch from a friend, but although the

Finch did his best to charm her with his song, and to feed her,

she would accept none of his attentions.


During twenty-three days she laid twenty-one eg'gs, all

perfectly shelled and proper Bullfinch colour, but very small.


The Goldfinch, finding his attentions were unwelcome,

commenced driving her about and eventually killed her, after

plucking all the feathers from her head and neck. Altogether I

kept this bird about ten years, which I consider a good age for a

Bullfinch caged.


The Goldfinch got stuck in the moult this autumn, and

died after living in perfect health for five years.


The only other British birds I have had were a Robin,

which makes a nice pet, and a cock Siskin, which I have at

present, in good condition and as tame as it is possible for a bird

to be ; he has cage-moulted three years.


My first interest in foreign birds arose Irorn a visit to

Belle Vue Gardens, Manchester, where I was greatly pleased

with a mixed collection of Cockatiels, Budgerigars, Java

Sparrows, and most of the commoner sorts of birds, together

with several pairs of Baltimore Orioles, which had nests of

wonderful construction, and to judge from the noise inside the

nests, most of them had young ; though possibly the liens were

inside and making all the noise.


Seeing an advertisement in the Exchange and Mart ,

“ Small Foreign birds,. 12/- per dozen,” I bought a dozen, and



