54 
CAGE AND SINGING BIRDS. 
period mentioned. He says that he has never observed 
it in any other situation than among'st tall trees, or 
woods and plantations, where its presence may be readily 
detected by its shrill shaking* kind of song*, which is unHke 
that of any other bird, and may be heard at a great dis- 
tance. It sings nearly all day long, except when engaged in 
feeding its yoimg, when it may be discovered by a mournful 
kind of call, quite peculiar to the species. Led by this 
call we may, by cautiously approaching, find out the nest, 
which is generally placed on the ground, in a thicket of 
tangled bushes. It is built of moss and dried leaves, and 
covered over the top, so that one may almost tread upon it 
without observing the little structure, in which, at the pro- 
per season, will be found some five or six eggs of a white 
colour, dotted with purplish red. The young birds may be 
reared by hand without much difficulty, if taken when 
almost dedged, placed in a basket with covers, nearly 
filled with moss, and fed upon meat, bread, and bruised 
hemp-seed, with which should be mixed occasionally some 
small bits of raw lean meat ; by way of variety a little 
bread and milk, and yolk of egg, should sometimes be 
given, and a drop or two of water be let fall into their 
throats. They must be kept clean and warm ; and, as 
soon as they are properly fledged, fine gravel must be 
mixed with their food ; this supplies the hme necessary to 
harden their bones, and prevents the liabihty to cramp. No 
bird of the warbler genus is better worth keeping than 
this ; it feeds readily upon the hemp-seed and bread, with 
raw lean meat ; also on bread and milk and yolk of egg, 
and is fond of flies, moths, caterpillars, aphides, and most 
other insects. 
There are several other song-birds, which are placed by 
some naturalists under the generic term sylma ; but which 
are not generally considered to belong properly to the war- 
bler genus. One of the most familiar of these is, 
THE COMMON WREN, 
Of which no description is necessarv, as everybod}^ know? 
the pert little Jenny, with her cocked-up tail, and busy 
inquisitive look. Not every one, however, has seen her 
nest, although many have; and such as wish to do so must 
