54 
HINTS ON CAGE-B1KKS. 
Master Vine and ms Tame Tintrsn. 
disturbed by man, and felt uo fear ; tliere was nothing occult about 
it, nor was it because of any peculiar influence which I possessed or 
exercised. I observed a few simple rules — that is, I did not make 
a noise or move rapidly, but that is all.” 
But that all is a great deal to birds, and I should not expect a 
noisy or flighty person ever to be able to speak of his birds as tame ; 
they would always have a nervous dread of him. When once 
thoroughly tamed a bird will put up with a good deal from the man 
whom ho has learned to confide in, but he will be easily alarmed, 
before that time, if any liberties are taken with him. My crested 
Mynah, an exceptionally tame bird, sometimes annoys me by imita- 
ting the screech of a Parrot. When it does this I slap with my 
open hand against its cage and tell it to “ Shut up !” and this does 
not render it a bit less confiding ; but it would not do to play such 
tricks with a wild bird. 
Visitors sometimes express wonder at the tameness of some 
of my birds, and imagine that 1 must have some special gift ; but 
Mr. Scott’s explanation is the correct one — be gentle and quiet in 
your movements; let your birds see that you love them, feed them 
yourself, give them dainties occasionally, and they will soon learn 
to trust you. 
Some years ago, perhaps fifteen or sixteen, when I was catching 
a good many Thrushes and Blackbirds, and wished to get them 
tame quickly, Iliad about eight cages specially made for the purpose. 
They were box-cages of a kind — 18 in. from front to back, 18 in. 
high, 12 in. wide, with willow bars in front ; a perch was placed 
near the top towards the back and a second perch near the bottom 
