WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 
same circumstances, would grow up alike, or nearly so. 
Ask any one who has had years of experience in this 
matter ; the answer will be, almost without exception, that 
the greatest difference of dis'position^ temper, and ahility 
will occur. Some become wild and useless, others alto- 
gether the reverse, perfectly gentle and attentive, and 
capable of being taught a variety of tunes and other 
accomplishments. These remarks apply particularly to 
song birds, but among other kinds of birds and beasts 
they are equally applicable. 
This, it will be observed, is the result of rearing birds 
upon unnatural food, and under unnatural circumstances 
and conditions ; let us see what happens to the wild 
caught birds. We will take the well-known and charming 
songster the Nightingale, large numbers of which arrive 
in this country in the early part of April, and are easily 
caught. The differences observable among these fresh 
caught birds are most extraordinary. As a rule they are 
placed singly — each bird in a small cage — with the front 
with thin paper or white calico outside the wire bars. 
This is done to prevent their being alarmed or disturbed 
by any one looking at them or going near the cage. They 
are, of course, supplied with plenty of food and water. 
As the male birds arrive some days earlier than the 
females those caught as soon as they arrive are much 
higher in value on account of their song. And under the 
treatment before mentioned many begin to sing a day or 
two after they are captured ; this is by no means, however, 
constant, for, in spite of every care and precaution, they 
will sometimes exhibit a restless determination to escape 
from captivity, beating and dashing about in the cage 
night and day, knocking the feathers off the head and 
face by incessantly thrusting the bill between the wires 
of the cage, breaking and destroying every feather in its 
204 
