CAGE AND SINGING BIRDS. 
121 
on account of its peculiar habits ; it is not properly a thrush, 
although closely allied to the turdine genus. We have never 
seen it as a cage bird, nor do we think it likely that it could 
be kept as such without great difficulty, although Bechstein 
says, that the young, which should not be taken from the 
nest until nearly fledged, can be easily reared on meal-worms, 
ants' eggs, and bread soaked in milk. The want of water 
privileges" so to speak, would, we apprehend, be the great 
obstacle to keeping the dipper in a healthy state in the 
aviary ; in its wild state it frequents the banks of rivers and 
streams, beneath whose surface it often goes in search of 
food, which consists chiefly of aquatic insects, small fish, 
and molluscse. It is about the size of a starling, and has 
longish legs, a stout body, and short cocked-up tail, like that 
of the wren : white, black, brown, and gray, are the colours 
of its plumage ; its eggs are pure white, and its nest of root 
fibres, grass, and moss ; it is usually placed among stones 
amid its favourite haunts. It has a sonorous song, not un- 
pleasant, especially, as Bechstein observes, when heard in 
the open air and in the winter - this author tells us that it 
may be taken without difficulty by means of limed twigs, 
baited with live meal-worms, and that it may be inured to 
the universal paste by a judicious use of meal-worms, ants^ 
eggs, or flies. 
THE GOLDEN ORIOLE. 
As we have travelled out of the thrush genus, we may as 
well go a step further, and include this very beautiful and, 
to us, rare bird. The orioles are chiefly inhabitants of the 
warmer parts of Asia and Africa, and this one comes as a 
migrant every year into Europe, and occasionally visits 
Britain. It is about the size of a blackbird, but of a more 
slender make, and altogether of a more elegant and distin- 
guished appearance ; the principal colour of the plumage is 
' a rich golden yellow, beautifully relieved by black on the 
wing coverts and tail ; the female has less of this golden 
tint, and more of oHve in her dress. Most persons have 
read an account of the curious purse -shaped nest of the 
golden oriole, but as the bird does not breed with us, we 
need not occupy our space with such particulars, nor say 
aught about modes of capture, nor treatment of youn^o 
