INTRODUCTION. 2$ 



Even hard-billed birds, when unwell, ought to get 

 an insect offered to them now and then : for, 

 though it is said by many, that these birds feed 

 on grain and seeds only, we have seen sparrows, 

 chaffinches, gi*eenfinches, goldfinches, &c. pur- 

 sue and seize flies of different kinds, — ^perhaps it 

 was for their young, — it being our opinion that 

 the food of the young of all song-birds is insects ; 

 but still we think insects ought occasionally to be 

 offered to adult birds. 



Small birds kept in confinement are sometimes 

 affected with low spirits, and more particularly 

 during the moulting season. They then' seem to 

 loathe their food. During these fits of dullness, 

 their diet ought to be changed, or, what perhaps 

 is better, different kinds of food ought to be of- 

 fered, and instinct will direct them to choose what 

 is best suited to their different constitutions ; but 

 : a store of food ought to be kept for the purpose — 

 j insects, berries, fi'uits, &c. for the soft-billed 

 I birds ; and for the hard-billed, different kinds of 

 I seeds, such as plantain, chickweed, gi'oundsel, let- 

 tuce, thistle, canary, rape, maw, and hemp seeds. 

 . The last ought to be given very sparingly, only a 

 few grains at a time ; for too much hempseed, we 

 tliink, is deleterious to all birds : it certainly pro- 



