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Practical Bird - Keep ing.



have any instinctive dread, for we know that, in tropical countries,

many weak species build their nests, for protective purposes,

close to the nests of the most virulent wasps ; still the number

of birds which feed upon bees and wasps is limited; although

the grubs of all wasps are recognized as excellent food for rear¬

ing young birds; the Laughing Thrushes after breaking the

stings against their stiff tail-feathers eat wasps with impunity,

while the Bee-eaters probably crush the bodies in their bills

before swallowing examples of Hyvienoptera , but most insec¬

tivorous birds leave these insects severely alone, and this should

cause our friends who make too much of mimetic resemblance

to pause before they assume that a wasp-like or bee-like aspect

in another insect is invariably a protection, when we who keep

birds know that it is nothing of the kind ; it may be some pro¬

tection against a bird which is not hungry, but not against one

which is pressed for food : a hungry bird investigates closely.


Ants are well-known to be excellent food, both in the

pupal and perfect stage, and nests of the red ant (Formica rufa)

common in many woods, may be removed entire in a sack for

the benefit of the inhabitants of a large outdoor aviary.


Sawflies ( Ten th i ed in idee) are generally rejected by birds in

all stages, although their larvae much resemble those of Lepidop-

terous insects ; they have, however, the front segments rather

more swollen and the cocoons are tough and paper-like as a

general rule.


The smaller Crustacea and Mollusca are well known

to be a favourite diet with many soft-feeders, also, of course,

earthworms ; the latter should always be offered to all Thrush¬

like birds when nesting, as they are easily obtained in quantity

and with very little trouble as a general rule.



