N. TaJca-Tsukasa—Aviculture in Japan 49


The Siberian Blue Robin is of a cobalt-blue, with black eyebrows

and pure white breast and abdomen. This bird is delicate when first

caught, but when it is accustomed to a life of captivity it becomes

hardy. When it is caught it is fed on a strong paste (about 1-8 fun Ye—

see the paragraph on food), but when it is tamed it is fed on weaker

food (i.e. 3-5 fun Ye). It is beneficial to this bird to give it one or two

small earthworms frequently. The Indian Stonechat can’t be

differentiated from the European species. The Fantailed Warbler

and Grasshopper Warbler have been very much admired by the

Japanese aviculturists from olden times. As they are very delicate

birds it becomes the bird-lovers’ pride to keep them in good health.

They are brown, soberly coloured birds, but the Grasshopper Warblers

have a good song.


The Japanese also esteem the Golden-crested Wren, the Japanese

Longtailed Tit, the Japanese Wren. These birds are very delicate,

and it is difficult to keep them many years. They must be kept in a

cool place during the summer. They are pretty and active, and the

Wren has also a very good strong song. The Japanese Accentor is

also a favourite bird in Japan. Its head is of a reddish-brown colour,

the back is brown, with dark spots and the under parts are grey, with

a little tint of brown. As its song resembles that of the Wren, it is also

called “ Great Wren ” by the Japanese. It sings very well in the

spring, and when it is domesticated it becomes a very hardy bird.


We have about eight species of the Wagtail in Japan, but we have

the three following species as cage-birds, namely, the Grey Wagtail,

the Kamtschatkau, and Japanese Wagtail, but the first two species are

the commonest. They sing a pretty song from the latter part of spring

to summer.


The Japanese Water Pipit and the Eastern Tree Pipit are also

often kept in a cage, and they are also good singers. These Wagtails

and Pipits often eat seed better than paste, when they are kept in

an aviary with the hard billed species.


The Waxwing is very rarely kept in Japan, as it is a very delicate

bird, though it is easily trained to take food in captivity. Contrary to

the other delicate birds, the Waxwing must not be given paste the

strength of which is more than 3 fun Ye, i.e. the quantity of the animal



