212 



KIDD'S OWN JOURNAL. 



which are so cruel and oppressive to many 

 of the innocent commoners of Nature." 



We may now observe unmistakeable signs 

 of the year's decline. There is a grateful 

 freshness in the morning air, and a delightful 

 coolness at the close of evening, both so pe- 

 culiar to the season of autumn. With our 

 little-feathered friends, the business of incu- 

 bation is now over ; their maternal and pa- 

 ternal cares have for a time ceased. We ob- 

 served long since, that the migratory symp- 

 tons of uneasiness had already partially 

 commenced, and that sundry communications 

 were being made between the several tribes. 

 These " Masonic" signals, although unintelli- 

 gible to us, are most unequivocally understood 

 by the various ornithological " Lodges ;" and 

 we can see that they have already given us 

 notice of their intention to quit, at a day not 

 very far distant. Many of them are gone. 



We have already noted, that some few 

 of our choristers, after they have put on 

 their new suit, occasionally treat us to a 

 parting song before they take their final 

 leave. We have recognised several instances 

 of this, during the past week ; but the voices 

 of the singers have been weak — their efforts 

 feeble. Yet have they shown an amiability 

 of disposition in their endeavors to please, 

 that we shall ever bear in lively remembrance. 

 Our resident birds are now in rehearsal, and 

 are fast resuming their spring songs. It is 

 pleasing, too, to observe the various broods 

 of young goldfinches, linnets, and other birds, 

 which are daily making their appearance in 

 the fields. 



We come now to speak of the Fauvette 

 (Sylvia hortensis), or what is more universally 

 called the Garden- Warbler. This little fel- 

 low visits us, in these southern latitudes, at 

 the end of April (departing in September), 

 unless the season be unusually chilly. He 

 then defers his visit till May. His personal 

 appearance, like that of the nightingale, is 

 by no means strikingly handsome, but he 

 has a fine roguish eye ; his plumage is neat 

 and trim, and his activity and graceful mo- 

 tions abundantly make up for other deficien- 

 cies. His qualifications, too, are of no mean 

 order, and he verifies the truth of the re- 

 mark that " appearances are sometimes de- 

 ceitful." 



We are aware that these birds have been 

 kept in a cage so long as three years ; but for 

 a bird of his habits, this is an- unusually long 

 period. As far as our judgment goes, he is not 

 a bird at all suited for a cage. You may soon 

 make him tame and familiar, we grant ; but 

 he is very apt to get sick, and to waste from 

 atrophy. His natural food is, caterpillars 

 and insects, which he devours most greedily ; 

 and his delight is to roam amidst orchards 

 and kitchen gardens. In these localities, 

 his depredations on fruit, — pears, strawber- 



ries, cherries, plums, apples, and the like, 

 are fearful for a bird of his size. As for his 

 appetite, it is like an elastic band, endless. 



To compensate for these little naughty, 

 thieving propensities, he pours forth a flood 

 of harmony between meal -times — nearly all 

 the day through ! — that disarms anything 

 like anger ! — 



" If to his lot some mortal errors fall, 



List to his voice — and you'll forget them all." 



His song is both long and loud. It generally 

 begins very low, and is, as Sweet remarks, not 

 unlike the song of the swallow. It rises by de- 

 grees, until it resembles the song of the black- 

 bird. When his voice is heard after sunset — 

 a case of frequent occurrence, it falls on the 

 ear with the most pleasing harmony. 



The description of cage we would recom- 

 mend for this bird, should be precisely similar 

 to that we described as best adapted for the 

 black-cap, in a former number. It may be 

 fitted up, too, in every respect the same. 

 He is equally fond of the bath, we should 

 remark ; but being a more tender bird, it 

 should never be administered except in warm 

 and settled weather. The cramp is a fatal 

 enemy to the garden-warbler. As a general 

 rule, we should feed him on German paste, 

 hard-boiled egg, and sponge cake ; supplying 

 him at intervals with those little delicacies in 

 which he so much delights. In addition to 

 those we have already named, we would par- 

 ticularise Elder, Privet, and Ivy berries ; also 

 bread, soaked in boiled milk. Cleanliness 

 must of course be studied with all the war- 

 blers ; but having been already so minute on 

 this, and other needful matters, it is unneces- 

 sary here to repeat former instructions. 



The proper place to purchase these birds, 

 is the Seven Dials — that great emporium for 

 animals of every kind ; but be sure and 

 hear the bird sing before you take him away, 

 and leave a " deposit" on the cage. These 

 delicate creatures should not be handled. 

 July and August are the best months to 

 purchase in. In the winter they must be 

 kept warm, and treated exactly like the 

 black-cap. 



The garden warbler is a shy, cunning 

 little fellow, when at liberty ; but in a fruit 

 garden, where all his time is spent in glut- 

 tony, you will have little difficulty in getting 

 a sight of him ; and as there are plenty of 

 leaves to conceal him, he will not feel dis- 

 turbed in his operations by your close 

 proximity. 



At this season, the "agitation" before 

 alluded to, as observable in birds of passage 

 at the spring and fall of the year, will try 

 your patience not a little. The garden- 

 warbler being of a very delicate plumage, 

 and his feathers being very easily displaced, 

 you must expect to see him occasionally 

 exhibit a ragged front. As there are few of 



