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there. Their next station Avas on the outside of a Avindow, a large 
sheet of paper being lixed on the inside, Avith a small hole through, 
opposite to the cage, that I jnight thus discov^er Avith the eye on the 
opposite side of the cage, Avhat kind of insects the old birds 
procured for them. Their principal food appeared to be flies, 
spiders, ants, and small green caterpillars Avhich are generally found 
on the oak. They also occasionally caught the bees Avhich Avere 
kept in the same garden, Avhich the young ones mostly rejected, and 
dropped to the bottom of the cage. The cause of the old birds 
catching the bees appeared to be OAving to a deficiency of other 
food, there being but feAV oak trees near the house. Their next 
station Avas at the bottom of an open AvindoAv, and after continuing 
there one day, they Avere placed inside, on the opposite side of the 
chamber; the AvindoAV being left open in the daytime, the old birds, 
after a little caution, ventured in, and continued to feed them there 
more tlian a week. Thus being kept and fed in a cage about a 
fortnight after they Avere able to fly, the young became strong, and 
the old ones very tame and familiar. My next plan AA'as to make a 
captive of the old cock bird and retain two of the young males 
(there being only four in the nest) the other tAvo Avere suffered to 
depart Avith their mother. The choice of the males is not difficult, 
to one attentive to their plumage, the strength of their call, and 
the size of the bird ; the males also two or three days after they 
take their oAvn victuals, make a little jabbering song, Avhich the 
females never attempt. The old bird, having the tips of his Avings 
tied together, lest he should injure himself by fluttering violently, 
Avas put into a box cage Avith his young ones, and after being fed 
Avith sheep’s heart and egg as described above (the meat being put 
into his mouth after being opened Avith a small sharp piece of stick) 
he soon took the meat himself, Avith Avhich he also fed the young — 
all Nightingales, after being first caught, require to have their Avings 
tied, tAVO, three or more days, and as they will at first take nothing 
but Avhat is alive, they require to be fed once every tAvo hours, by 
having their bills opened Avith a small stick, and the meat given 
them by force. By having Ants often mixed Avith their victuals 
set by them, they at last, by pecking the Ants, learn to eat the 
meat also Avithout trouble. By this same kind of food you may 
keep the SavuHoav, Martin, Redstart, Wagtail, Pettychaps, Cuckoo, 
and all other kinds of insectivorous birds. The old Nightingale, 
