WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



In May 1869 I obtained my first living water ouzel. 

 Since that time I have had a great many of these birds. 

 Some of them I reared from the nest, and I fed them upon 

 boiled mealworms, the larvae of the caddis fly and other 

 insect food ; but, as soon as they were able to feed them- 

 selves and took to the water, they caught and fed upon 

 very small fish, especially young minnows. I found them 

 rather expensive pets, having to provide for a family of 

 four, as they caught and devoured several dozen daily, and 

 seemed to prefer live fish to all other food. I am not 

 pleased to confess this, and I hope it may not cause the 

 birds to be unmercifully killed, as I feel sure that these 

 birds are useful, feeding, as they do, upon insects as soon 

 as the young fish are too large for their tiny throats. 



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