Foreign Birds. 137 
and sonietinies inlpctetl condition in which they reach the aviculturist 
from the various sources of supply, and great care must be exercised 
in introducing new purchases among established stock- strict quaran- 
tine must be enforced for several weeks, or some contagious disease 
may be introduced and practically tlie whole stock rapidly succumb. 
This is serious fact as some of our members know to their cost, so I re- 
peat never neglect quarantine. Once established, most of the species 
are fairly, some very, long-lived on a suitable diet. During the critical 
stage of getting new importations over the hardships of the voyage, 
etc., I have found milk sop a valuable adjunct with nearly all species 
It sliould be prepared from either fresh or condensed milk, crumbled 
biscuit or sponge cake, vvitli a little of either Mellin's food or Scott's 
Emulsion added. 
Soft Food Mixture (Insectile Mixture). The various recipes are 
legion — several of our members have reliable mixtures on sale —notably 
0. Alillaum, P. F. M. Galloway, J. Frostick, and others. 
For a home made mixture, some kind of biscuit mejil should be 
used as a base- say two parts, to this add one part each fine ground 
crisscl, find ground silk-worm pupie, ants' cocooms, and banana meal, 
or Mr. Millsum's " H.C'." Food. Now as regards the base of the mix- 
ture 1 " ring the changes " on Partridge Meal, Game Meal, Chicken 
Meal, Cod liver Oil and Cage Bird Food — thus securing a frequent 
change for the various occupants of my aviaries and cages. To be 
quite clear, I may say I usually mix iibout 35 lbs. at a time (five weeks' 
supply, and it is roughly as follows :— 
7 lbs. Spratts' Cod-liver Oil and Cage Bird Food, 7 lbs. ants' cocoons, 
3i lbs. fine ground crissel, 3i lbs. Partridge Meal, 7 lbs. dried flies or PupaB 
Meal, and 7 lbs. Banana Crystals (Banana meal would answer the purpose). 
Mix the whole thoroughly well together and it will keep indefinately in any 
dry place. 
For use take the daily portion, make crumbly moist with boil- 
ing water, and then stir in a larger or smaller portion of crumbled 
sponge cake according to the species kept. 
Fi-u'it : Almost any kind may be given that is in season, it 
should be fully ripe but not rotten. I am not enamoured with orange, 
save as a variety with other fruits — banana, apple, and grapes, I 
make my mainstay and give any English fruit in season as well. 
I do not care for it (orange) as the sole fruit diet of any species, while it 
is in season, and do not so supply it save in the case of such that will 
practically take no other kind I supply it (oiange) regularly all the 
year round to my birds, but not in such quantities as the other kinds 
enumerated above. 
