British Cage Birds. 



seem to enjoy a mixture of oatmeal and white bread- 

 crumbs, in equal parts, with a little old cheese, grated, and 

 the whole made into a soft paste. After they have been 

 a while in captivity they become comparatively tractable, but 

 seldom sufficiently tame to eat from the hand. 



Bearing the Young. — The Snow Bunting does not breed 

 in Great Britain, and is, therefore, not likely to be hand- 

 reared by anyone, especially as adult birds can be readily 

 obtained if required. Should anyone, however, obtain a young 

 bird, and be desirous of bringing it up by hand, the treat- 

 ment recommended for rearing young Hedge Sparrows should 

 be followed. 



Distinguishing Marks of Cock and Hen. — The hen is 

 not quite so large as the male bird. The head and back part 

 of the neck are white, mixed with dark cinnamon coloured 

 feathers. The breast is white, marked with pale yellowish 

 brown spots. The young birds possess darker beaks than the 

 older ones, and have brown feathers where the adult have 

 black. The young hens, after moulting, are altogether paler 

 in colour than the young males, and are marked on the side 

 of the face and breast with pale cinnamon yellow spots. 



Song. — Snow Buntings cannot, by the most plausible im- 

 peachment, be classified as song birds. They utter a few low, 

 twittering notes, and occasionally break forth with louder ones, 

 like those emanating from an old, crushed whistle, piercing 

 and distinct, not at all unpleasant, but not particularly 

 musical. They do not attempt to imitate other birds, or to 

 pick up stray notes from their companions of the aviary. 



Points to be Observed in Judging. — The Snow Bunting, 

 when in good feather and condition, is a very suitable bird 

 for the show bench. An old male bird is the best to select 

 for exhibition purposes, as its colours are more distinct, 

 intense, and pure looking : the white is cleaner and more 

 refined, and the black is brighter, richer, and more glossy. 

 A show specimen should be scrupulously clean, in perfect 

 feather, close and compact ; the wings and tail should be 

 free from broken feathers, and braced closely together. The 

 bird should be steady and tractable. Snow Buntings should 

 be shown in larks' cages, with a fresh turf provided for each, 

 and the bottoms of the cages well sprinkled with oats and 

 oat chaff. 



