WHAT BIRDS TO KEEP TOGETHER. 
17 
CHAPTER II. 
WHAT BIRDS TO KEEP TOGETHER IN CAGE OR AVIARY, AND WHERE 
TO GET YOUR STOCK. 
Having decided upon the form and arrangements for his cages and 
aviaries, the next point to be considered by the beginner in aviculture 
is the stock which he proposes to keep. This, being of the greatest 
importance, should not be decided upon without due consideration, 
for many reasons. 
If the beginner is a poor man, he must bear in mind that soft- 
feeders, although by far the most interesting birds to keep, are 
■considerably more expensive to feed, and take up a great deal of one s 
leisure time in the mere preparation of their food. Not only does 
all soft food take some time to prepare, but that which is suitable for 
one group of birds will not do equally well for all : although it is true 
that seed-eaters will not all flourish or even retain then- health if 
fed upon the same seed mixture, it is easy to mix the seeds for the 
various types of grauivorous birds in bulk, and keep it in tins ready 
for use. 
In the second place, there are many birds which cannot safely 
be kept together in one cage or aviary ; there are others which will 
invariably fight to the death in a cage ; but in a tolerably large 
aviary will not molest each other. Some birds are by nature bullies, 
aud whilst always ready to attack anyone smaller than themselves, 
are too cowardly to hit a fellow of their own size. Among these 
I found Ortolan Buntings and some of the Weavers to be notable 
instances. It may also be taken as a general rule that all kinds of 
Parrots, however small, are dangerous associates for any birds with 
less powerful beaks, even though considerably larger than themselves. 
Some birds are practically harmless if only one example is kept, 
but when paired prove most dangerous. Among these the Crossbill 
may be cited. It will, perhaps, be remembered that some time since 
I cautioned one of my correspondents against keeping a pair of 
Crossbills with other seed-eaters, and a gentleman wrote to say that 
he knew of a Crossbill which lived in perfect harmony with other 
birds. I subsequently asked a friend who had kept European birds 
for about fifty years what he thought about it, and he replied that 
a pair of Crossbills, in an aviary with other birds, would be certain to 
maim and slaughter many in the course of a year ; he bad himself 
tried this, with the most disastrous results. Thus my own 
experience was verified. 
Individual birds are sometimes dangerous, although belonging 
to species which are usually trustworthy; there are malevolent 
B 
