22 INTRODUCTION, 



cannot be got in winter ; we would therefore re- 

 commend that a stock of these should be laid in 

 during summer, to serve them through the \vin* 

 ter, both for food and medicine, as occasion re- 

 quires. For this purpose we would suggest that 

 ants' eggs be gathered, along with some of the 

 earth of an ant's liUl, and put into a tin box or 

 canister, and kept in a cool place ; for, if too 

 warm, the heat might hatch the eggs. Soft grubs, 

 meal-worms, and even earth-worms, may be pre- 

 served in a similar manner. Mr Swete has given 

 a recipe to preserA^e flies, which is, — to gather a 

 quantity of the common house-flies and the large 

 blue-bottle or flesh-flies, and put them into a 

 box, and keep them diy. Wien they are to be 

 given to the birds, notliing more is necessary than 

 to moisten the flies with lukewarm water, and 

 the birds will take them freely. Spiders, earwigsj 

 sklaters, centipedes, and several other insects, we 

 think might be preserved in the same manner ; 

 also, wild berries, of diff*erent kinds, might be 

 stored up for the soft-billed birds ; and they should 

 have, occasionally, fresh damp eartli, as well as 

 gravel stones, on the bottom of their cages : and 

 larks, every two or three days, ought to have a 

 fresh turf given to them, or they will not thrive. 



