WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



same circumstances, would grow up alike, or nearly so. 

 Ask any one who has had years of experience in this 

 matter ; the answer will be, almost without exception, that 

 the greatest difference of disposition, temper, and ability 

 will occur. Some become wild and useless, others alto- 

 gether the reverse, perfectly gentle and attentive, and 

 capable of being taught a variety of tunes and other 

 accomplishments. These remarks apply particularly to 

 song birds, but among other kinds of birds and beasts 

 they are equally applicable. 



This, it will be observed, is the result of rearing birds 

 upon unnatural food, and under unnatural circumstances 

 and , conditions ; let us see what happens to the wild 

 caught birds. We will take the well-known and charming 

 songster the Nightingale, large numbers of which arrive 

 in this country in the early part of April, and are easily 

 caught. The differences observable among these fresh 

 caught birds are most extraordinary. As a rule they are 

 placed singly — each bird in a small cage — with the front 

 with thin paper or white calico outside the wire bars. 

 This is done to prevent their being alarmed or disturbed 

 by any one looking at them or going near the cage. They 

 are, of course, supplied with plenty of food and water. 



As the male birds arrive some days earlier than the 

 females those caught as soon as they arrive are much 

 higher in value on account of their song. And under the 

 treatment before mentioned many begin to sing a day or 

 two after they are captured ; this is by no means, however, 

 constant, for, in spite of every care and precaution, they 

 will sometimes exhibit a restless determination to escape 

 from captivity, beating and dashing about in the cage 

 night and day, knocking the feathers off the head and 

 face by incessantly thrusting the bill between the wires 

 of the cage, breaking and destroying every feather in its 



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