52 TREATISE ON 



and other soft-billed birds. — See the article Night- 

 ingale, Redbreast, 8fc. When tlie tlirusli is af- 

 fected witb the cramp, lay the bird gently on a 

 piece of flannel, and feed it with the mixture al- 

 ready mentioned, and give it occasionally a spider, 

 slug, or a few hog-lice. The food may be rather 

 more moist than when the birds are in perfect 

 health ; and the water given them to drink ought 

 to have a little saffron or cochineal in it. When 

 they void too loose, their food, that is, the paste 

 made of flesh-meat, bread, &c. must be given 

 much thicker, and a little chalk must be crumbled 

 on the bottom of the cage. When their feet and 

 legs get clogged with any dirt or wet, take the 

 bu'ds gently in the hand, and moisten the feet and 

 legs in tepid water, and wash all the dirt complete- 

 ly off. 



Their food, in a wild state, consists of grapes, 

 currants, olives, cherries, pears, slugs, snails, 

 worms, spiders, hog-lice, and several other in- 

 sects and wild berries. 



Description and Plumage, 



Length about nine inches, bill straight, upper 

 mandible slightly bent towards the point, and 



