CAGE AND SINGING BIRDS. 
85 
gin 5 tlie larger wing* coverts are of the same colour, with 
dirty white tops; the tail feathers, which are broad and 
straight, and easily broken, are of a dingy rust colour ; the 
legs and feet are a brownish flesh colour ; and the irides 
grayish brown. These are all sober tints, but being harmoni- 
ously blended, they produce on the whole a pleasing eifect^ 
which is heightened by the elegant shape and graceful mo- 
tions of the bird, so that, apart from its powers of song, it is 
a very desirable occupant of the aviary. 
Bechstein says that the female redstart is often sold for 
a nightingale, and he points out some peculiarities by which 
the two birds may be distinguished. The former Ibird, he 
says, is not so large, nor is the general colour of her 
plumage so dark. Her feet and beak are black ; the former 
more slender in make. The tail is of a brighter colour, 
except the two centre feathers, which are black or dark 
brown; it is also longer and thinner than that of the niglit- 
ingale : it is, too, almost incessantly in motion, while 
that of the latter bird is only jerked now and then, and is ge- 
nerally elevated above the tips of the wings. Moreover, the 
' gait and whole bearing of the nightingale is more proud and 
dignified than that of the redstart : it moves slowly, and, as 
it were, with due consideration. 
Only two or three instances, we believe, of the night- 
ingale's being induced to breed in confinement are upon 
record, and few would care to take the necessary trouble, for 
the rare chances of success. The thing is possible, but so 
improbable, that we need not dwell upon the means by which 
it has been brought about; such, however, as wish to make 
this experiment, will find a detail of the modus operaiidi m 
Kidd's Journal, vol. i., p. 283. The editor ol this work, 
WilHam Kidd, an enthusiastic lover ot song birds, and oi 
the nicchtingale especially, tells us how the Whitechapel 
bird-catchers "meat off,^' as they term it, newly-caugnt 
nightingales :— " Some freeli raw beef is scraped, and being 
divested of all fibrous substance, it is mixed into a soft paste 
with cold water and hard-boiled yolk of egg. 1 his is put 
into a large bird-pan. In the midst of this food is placed a 
small inverted liqueur glass, with the stem broken oU. Undei 
this dass are introduced three or four lively mealwormB, 
whose oft-repeated endeavours to escape attract the attention 
