102 TREATISE OX 



autumn. The birds of the first brood are the best, 

 and may be taken in July. Those of the second are 

 often too weak to stand the winter : they are caught 

 in the same manner as old birds, and both old and 

 young, when secured, must have the tips of their 

 wings tied with packthread, (but not too tight,) to 

 prevent their dashing themselves against the sides 

 of the cage. Put them into a nightingale's back 

 cage, and keep them quiet ; if in a common cage, 

 darken it with a piece of cloth, and let them alone 

 for about two hours till they become settled, after 

 which offer them food; if they are sullen, and 

 refuse to eat, they must be " crammed," — a term 

 used by bird-fanciers; viz. take them gently in 

 the hand, open their bills with a thin stick made 

 for the purpose, and put in a pellet (about the size 

 of a small pea,) of nightingale's food, which con- 

 sists of fine-gi'ained butcher-i^eat, or sheep's heart 

 carefully freed from fat, minced very small, and 

 mixed with a little of the yolk of a hard-boiled 

 egg, and this they ought to get every two hours 

 until they are reconciled to captivity. To entice 

 them to eat, put a little of their food in the pan, 

 and on the bottom of the cage strew some mould 

 from an ant-hill, amongst which put some ants, 

 ant-eggs, and meal-worms i If these are picked out, 



