32



N. Taka-Tsukasa—Aviculture in Japan



is called “ Teri-Uso ” by the Japanese, and that name means the

bright-coloured Bullfinch.


The Japanese Grosbeak is also called Masked Hawfinch, for it has

a black face. The colour of the body is grey with black wings and

tail, which have a bluish sheen. Its heavy bill is clear gamboge yellow,

and from this reason the Japanese also call this bird the Waxbill, as

the original Japanese wax is yellow in colour. The song of this bird

reminds one of the Japanese words for “ Moon-star and Sun ”, i.e.

“ Tsuki-hoshi-hei This bird is very ill-tempered, so must not be

kept with any other birds which are weaker than itself.


The Crossbill comes to Japan very irregularly. We often have not

a single bird for a few years and then, on the contrary, we have some¬

times so many that every bird fanciers’ shop contains great numbers.


The following foreign Finches are imported into Japan in small

numbers, namely, the Chinese or Black-tailed Grosbeak, Goldfinch,

Green Singing Finch, and Red-crested Cardinal. The Crested Cardinal

is said to be bred in Japan, though I have no sure information on this

point. I have also often noticed that the Crossbill is kept in a wire

cage such as is commonly used for Parrots.


Besides the Finches and tbe Ornamental Finches there is another

common bird which is fed on seed diet, namely, the Varied Titmouse,

which is sold plentifully at the bird fanciers’ shops in the autumn,

and it is fed on hemp seed and walnut instead of millet. It is very

hardy and clever, and is easily kept.


Some of these birds do such tricks as tumbling in the air through

a ring which is suspended from the top of the cage, or picking up a

piece of walnut from a toy bucket by pulling it up by string after it

has climbed up a ladder that is attached to the platform, which is high

up in the cage. These tricks are very well done. The first, mentioned

above, is easily taught by an amateur in the following manner: We

select at first a bird that is seen often to jump up from the perch to

the top of the cage and come down again to the perch, or fly up in the

air and tumbles there, and we place this bird in a cage in which a string

is tied about 2J or 3 inches high across the perch. Soon the bird begins

to tumble in the air over the string, and so it easily learns the trick ;

and when it has learnt it we raise the string 1 or 2 inches higher, and



