26 
HOW TO FEED BIRDS. 
none the worse for them. Grosbeaks delight in sunflower seed, and 
so do many of the thick-billed Finches ; but the small variety should 
be used for birds of the Bullfinch group, for they cannot readily 
crack the larger seed. 
Maw seed is a favourite with some birds, and especially with 
Siskins and Goldfinches ; it is useful to sprinkle over egg-food, to 
induce these birds to eat the latter, when they require building up, 
and I believe it to be quite innocent, in spite of its being the seed 
of a poppy. 
The smallest Doves feed chiefly upon millet and canary (except- 
ing, of course, the tiny Fruit-pigeons, which are hardly ever 
imported). For the larger Doves the addition of dari, and, in some 
cases, wheat and hemp, is necessary ; whereas the largest pigeons 
require a further addition of maize. With slight modifications this 
rule may be applied to Parrots, the exclusively fruit or honey-eating 
forms being excepted. 
The larger insectivorous, frugivorous, and partly carnivorous 
birds do well upon a staple diet of two parts crumb of stale 
household bread, one part preserved yolk of egg, and one part ants’ 
eggs ; but, as already mentioned, the smaller and more delicate 
species do better with sweet biscuits in place of (or in addition to) 
the bread. The mixture may be slightly damped by a sprinkling of 
water, or by adding boiled potato cooked on the preceding day, and 
pressed through a masher, or grated carrot. Of course, insects, 
fruit, and meat must be added where required ; or, in the case of 
Larks, and Pipits, insects and canary seed. 
In winter the best vegetable food that 1 know of is either apple, 
or cress made of rape seedlings. It is always easy to sow a few 
pots or boxes with rape seed ; and whatever may be asserted to the 
contrary, 1 do not believe that frosted green food is good for any 
bird ; in summer, however, groundsel, chickweed, dandelion leaves, 
and grass in flower or seed, ai’e most useful. 
I believe that all insectivorous birds delight in mealworms, 
wireworms, and many other small beetle larva; ; they are also 
fond of centipedes, and simply crazy for spiders ; many of the 
larger species and some of the smaller ones are delighted with 
cockroaches, but Hangnests and Troupials do not care much for 
them, and Mocking-birds let them alone. 
Carnivorous cage-birds are fond of mice, nestling sparrows, 
and eggs, and I believe that a certain quantity of such food is 
needful to keep them in vigorous health. 
