*9 
has been eaten or removed, we will stick the favorite berry or insect 
on the end of a slender w r and, it may have to be five or six feet long 
at first, and gently approach, until the morsel is in reach of his bill. 
If he takes it, try another, moving up a little closer. If not, let its 
appetite sharpen a little, or get a longer stick. By this method, and 
a little wholesome patience, any young bird can be tamed in three days 
to take things from your hand. With a pair of mocking birds, trapped 
birds and so wild that they would go into a frenzy of fluttering if I 
even entered the room, my first feeding was, mealworms on a stick, at 
six feet, my second at one foot, third, fourth and fifth, ditto, the sixth 
from the hand. Very soon I could simply place the worm on my table 
before me and they would boldly fly out of the cage and pounce upon 
it. But they are a proud, imperious bird, and always come toward 
me with wing raised ready to strike, with an expression of face which 
says, “ I will eat you raw, sir, if you dare move a finger.” And I pre¬ 
tend to be a little afraid of him, which is a bit of harmless deception. 
This latter trick is one I have used from childhood, and it is well de¬ 
scribed in the first chapter of Mrs. Treat’s book, “ Home Studies in 
Nature.” The fact is there are a number of little knacks and tacts 
which it is difficult or unnecessary to describe. Perhaps the most im¬ 
portant is with reference to the way we use our eyes when trying to 
tame a bird. Birds’ eyes are probably much keener than our own, and 
they undoubtedly are able to read our faces. We must not stare and 
glare at them like cats or snakes trying to charm them. Glance at 
them pleasantly, then turn the eyes away, pretend to be looking or 
thinking about something else and their nervous tension is immediately 
relaxed. It is not considered polite to stare even at your friends. 
The next step in bird taming is not generally a difficult one. 
Keep your bird’s appetite sharp and healthy, and then find some food 
of which it is desperately fond. It was peppermint drops with my 
little cedarbird at first. With mocking birds, it is mealworms and 
spiders, and for robins, probably earthworms, and, according to Stick - 
ney, for vireos it may be black ants. When you have discovered it 
for your bird, you can soon have him flying after you from room to 
room, picking at your fingers or lips. Another little matter of tact is 
to have notes and calls, either spoken or whistled, and if possible, 
somewhat resembling the call notes of your bird, not the war cries or 
notes of alarm. Use these cheerfully on entering the room and while 
