THE NIGHTINGALE’S CAGE. 
head is not so long and tapering, but round, so tliat the beak 
juts out more abruptly, and her eyes are smaller, and by no 
means so bright as liis. 
The Nightingale’s Cage. — The nightingale requires a 
spacious cage. It should be at least twenty inches long, nine 
broad, and twelve high. As recommended for the lark -cage, 
the roof should either be of cloth, or the wood or wire should 
be covered with some soft material, so that the bird, in leaping 
upward, may not injure his head. The nightingale dislikes 
too strong a light, and yet, at the same time, he must not be 
debarred of plenty of fresh air ; so that 
the best way to manage will be to have 
all the sides of his cage wire, hung 
round with the lightest green gauze 
curtains, which should not hang close 
to the bars of the cage, but about 
an inch off. The cage must be pro- 
Tided with three perches, which may THE maHTIKGiLE > s cage. 
be covered with some thin soft mate- 
rial, as the feet of the nightingale are extremely tender. 
Cleanliness is of the first importance. Clean out the cage 
every morning, and not only refill the seed and water 
glasses, but wash and dry them. Bechstein recommends a 
sheet of blotting-paper to be laid at the bottom of the cage, 
by way of absorbing all impurities, but birds, like our- 
selves, sometimes have strange tastes, and I think it very 
probable that the nightingale might take it into his head to 
nibble at his carpet, and then I would by no means be answer- 
able for the indigestion that would ensue. He is fond of 
bathing, so every day give him a deep saucer three parts full 
of clean water, and as he may, by mounting his covered perches 
with his feet still wet, saturate the cloth, it will be as well 
to have the perches moveable, and to remove them before 
the bird begins to bathe. 
How to Teed the Nightingale. — Bechstein, who without 
doubt has carefully studied the subject, is of opinion that ants’ 
eggs should form the principal of the nightingale’s food. He 
says : — 
“ Whoever cannot procure ants’ eggs should not keep 
nightingales, as many die before they become accustomed to 
artificial food. The best summer diet is merely ants’ eggs, and 
daily from two to three mealworms. The ants themselves 
may also be used, being first killed with hot water. When 
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