The Blackbird. 



199 



arranged with feeding and drinking tins, and a perch, so that, 

 when the young birds are able to leave the nest, they may 

 be kept in it until ready to be removed to a cage ; the top 

 should be made to fold back on hinges, and to fasten in front 

 with a brass or wire hook. The nest should be placed in a 

 wooden bowl, or basin, the proper size to keep it steady. 

 The nestlings must be kept scrupulously clean if they are to 

 thrive. At this age their mother will have taught them to 

 cast their excrement over the side of the nest ; this she does 

 by placing her head beneath their bodies, and gently pushing 

 them, " hindermost first," to the edge of the nest, when she 

 observes that they require to obey the behest of Nature. 

 Up to the age of six or seven days — rarely longer — the hens 

 swallow the refuse of their offspring ; this is the case with 

 all hen birds of this and similar species, and I have found, 

 by close observation, that a mother who objects to do this, 

 or does it imperfectly, rarely ever rears her young. The 

 nestlings must be kept warm, and at an even temperature. 

 The practice of taking young birds in cold weather is not 

 particularly commendable, as they are much more difficult to 

 bring up successfully ; but if taken then, they should be well 

 covered at night, leaving them only breathing space. The 

 first nest of the season usually contains three males out of 

 four birds, if not all males, and in the second nest the reverse 

 is the case. Feed the young with boiled bread and milk, 

 which make fresh at least twice a day ; be sure that the 

 milk is new, and the bread quite sweet and wholesome. As 

 soon as the young birds can pick, they should be weaned 

 gradually from this food, and given sheep's heart, or a piece 

 of raw lean meat, chopped as fine as possible, and mixed 

 well with one and a half parts more of bread, finely crumbed, 

 and moistened by water, to form a soft paste. The food 

 must never be allowed to become stale or sour, or it will 

 scour the birds, and thereby weaken their constitutions. When 

 they are fully fledged, the latter mixture should be given 

 without being moistened by water, and they should also be 

 fed at intervals with the food of the aviary, until they 

 become accustomed to use it entirely. 



Distinguishing Marks of Cock and Hen. — In adult birds 

 the male is entirely black, and the hen brownish black, with 

 russet black on the breast ; the belly and vent of the females 



