326 Remarks on Fako cyaneas and pygargus, 



was put into a nest of chaffinches, and placed in a box ; and 

 so much did he like the warmth, that he rested perfectly 

 contented, and though he would for several days after fly up 

 to the top of the box to be fed, yet he retired as soon as sa-s 

 tisfied with food, and cuddled amongst his companions. 



By experience, grasshoppers, which at this season of the 

 year are to be procured in abundance, are found to be an 

 excellent food for all insectivorous birds : these, therefore, 

 at first were their constant food, and after five or six days a 

 mixture of bread, milk, chopped boiled meat, and a little 

 finely pounded hemp- and rape-seed, made into a thick paste, 

 was sometimes given, to wean them from insect food by 

 degrees ; this they became more partial to than even grass- 

 hoppers, but they afterwards preferred bread and milk with 

 pounded hemp-seed only, to every other food, the smaller 

 house or window flies excepted. 



Before these birds left the nest I put them into a pair of 

 scales, and found the four weighed nine drams, which on 

 an average is two drams and a quarter each. At this time 

 they collectively ate in one day upwards of five drams of 

 grasshoppers, which is one dram and a quarter each, so that 

 in two days each consumed more than its own weight. Such 

 a repletion is almost incredible, and doubtless greatly be- 

 yond what the parent birds could usually supply them with, 

 which by observation appeared to consist of variety, and not 

 imfrequently small phalenae : their growth, however, was in 

 proportion to this large supply of food. \ . 



This interesting little family began to throw out some of 

 their mature feathers on each side of the breast about the 

 middle of August, and the sexes became apparent. At this 

 time they had forsaken their grasshopper food, feeding by 

 choice on the soft victuals before mentioned. 



The nestling attachment is very conspicuous in these little 

 birds towards the dusk of the evening, for a long time after 

 they have forsaken the nest ; they become restless, and ap- 

 parentlv are in search of, a roosting place, flying about the 

 cage for half an hour, or until it is too dark to move with 

 safety, when a singular soft note is uttered by one°which 

 has chosen a convenient spot for the nighty at which instant 



they 



