298 



British Cage Birds. 



bottom of the cage, as this will in most cases induce them 

 to eat. Leave the other food in the vessel, or trough, so 

 that they may find their way to it. Eepeat this treatment 

 if needed, and in a very few days the birds will become 

 quite reconciled to their changed position and new home. 



Food and Treatment. — Robins feed on ants, spiders, cater- 

 pillars, woodlice, and other insects, and also on worms and 

 berries of various kinds. They will not, however, touch a 

 caterpillar that is hairy. In confinement, they will partake 

 readily of the food recommended for the Nightingale. They 

 are very fond of cheese and bread crumbed together, and 

 like the cheese new and soft. 



Rearing the Young. — The best time to take the young 

 birds is when they are from ten to twelve days old ; if 

 older, they become sullen, and very difificult to rear. They 

 leave the nest when from fourteen to seventeen days old, and 

 are able to feed themselves at the end of a month. 



They should be fed with sheep's heart, or other lean meat, 

 and egg, made into a paste and prepared in the manner 

 recommended for young Nightingales. Oare must be taken not 

 to give them too much food at a time, as they possess very 

 delicate stomachs, which are easily deranged. They should be 

 placed in a small box or basket lined with some warm material, 

 and kept in a warm place, especially at night time. As soon 

 as they are able to feed themselves, put them in cages, singly, 

 for they are very quarrelsome. 



Young Robins are very tender birds, and most difficult to 

 rear ; therefore, those who wish to keep one should obtain 

 a newly-caught fledgling, or a young bird after its first moult, 

 as it will soon become tame, and, if in health, and thoroughly 

 over the moult, will sing after it has been caged for a short 

 time. 



Distinguishing Marks of Cock and Hen. — The female is 

 smaller in size than the cock, measuring only about oin. in 

 length ; in her case the orange colour is paler, and does not 

 extend so far back on the forehead and face, the yellow spots 

 are generally wanting in the wings, and the colours throughout 

 are paler and duller, the legs and feet being much more so, 

 and more of a dirty yellowish brown colour. 



The young males of one year old are sometimes mistaken 

 for hens, as they do not attain their full colour until two 



