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Mrs. R. G. Ashby—Softbills



Now as to food. Generally speaking the staple food of most

insectivorous birds, nectar-feeders excepted, is a soft food mixture.

There are many such preparations on the market and most contain

the same ingredients. I make my own, but this has the dis¬

advantage that I have to supply many friends, who will use no other.

This mixture costs about half the price of most proprietary brands.

Moistening a soft food with either boiling water or grated carrot is all

right if one’s personal attention is given all the time. It goes sour in

a day in hot weather. The mixture I recommend requires no moistening,

keeps for weeks in perfect condition, and is eaten to the last grain.

Surely the test for a sound food !


Tor those interested here is the recipe. To 7 lb. of “ common ”

soft food, obtainable at any of the larger dealers at about 9 d. a lb.,

add 1 lb. each of dried sifted flies, ants’ eggs, and ground silkworm

sifted pupae. Try and obtain the latter whole and grind it yourself.

The mincing machine with the finest slide is admirable. To this add

3J lb. of finely ground biscuits. Your grocer will supply broken biscuits

as a discount on your account. Gingerbreads, shortbreads, sweet,

Osborne, etc., all go in. Mix, adding about 2 oz. of maw seed. When

thoroughly mixed add, a little at a time, 3 lb. of melted honey. Put the

jars with the lids off in a saucepan, with water, on the stove. Honey

will mix so much easier when hot. After using half a jar fill up with

Vitamin Malt and a little Virol. Mix this and the other 2 lb. into the

mixture. The result will be crumbly moist and although it sounds

messy one rinse under the tap and your hands are clean. You will

then have about 16 lb. of perfect soft food at a cost of well under Is. a lb.

Do not moisten when supplying and ration each bird. You will soon

find how much he takes and give the same amount daily. In the case

of the more delicate species double the amount of biscuit.


For the larger softbills this is too rich and too expensive ! Spider’s

No. 1 Saval moistened with water is probably the cheapest of all the

soft foods and it is most satisfactory. It will not sour although it is

better given fresh daily. Tanagers enjoy this mixture and for the larger

birds such as Touracous, Toucans, Drongos, Starlings, even Birds of

Paradise, it is ideal.


Most insectivorous birds will take fruit and should be given it.



