362 FANCIERS’ 
JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 

Syate Pet Departwen- 
4a- All communications and contributions intended for this depart- 
ment should be addressed to HOWARD I. IRELAND, Concordville, 
Delaware County, Pa. 
(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
TO REAR YOUNG BIRDS TAKEN FROM THE 
NEST. 
THERE are many birds inhabiting our woods, which are 
excellent songsters, and make interesting pets when confined 
in cages; but, unless they are procured when quite young, 
they will gradually pine away, and some morning be found 
dead upon their perch. 
When you have discovered a nest containing the kind of 
birds which you desire to rear, if they are nearly feathered, 
remove them, nest and all, to a large cage; if not, visit the 
nest daily until the young birds’ eyes are opened, then 
remove them. They had better be placed upon the bottom 
of the cage, for fear, if they were placed higher, they might 
in their restlessness fall out of the nest. Feed them upon 
insects, seeds, etc.; or, if they are of a large species, on ripe 
fruit and berries. A better plan is to secrete yourself a few 
days before you remove the young birds near the nest, so 
that you can watch unobserved the food the mother brings 
‘them, and imitate this diet as nearly as possible. A good 
artificial food, suitable for all species of birds, can be made 
as follows: Take of canary seed three parts, and oats one 
part; grind them in a coffee mill, and pulverize the crushed 
grains in a mortar; now sift this through a linen cloth, to 
obtain the finest particles; mix this with fresh blood—the 
blood from a chicken will answer—to the consistency of 
new putty; roll this dough into balls about the size of peas, 
or, if-for a little kind of birds, into a smaller size. Give 
them these balls as often as possible—at least feed them 
every two hours during the day. Water can be given by 
dipping a straw in water and allowing the drop that clings 
to it to fall into their opened mouths. Give but a drop or 
two atatime. At night cover them with cotton or wool, 
and feed them as early in the morning as possible. Keep 
the following italicized sentence firmly impressed on your 
mind: Without a great deal of attention, your birds will surely 
die. Pav Loarc. 

(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
BARN SWALLOWS. 
THERE are but few people who try to protect barn swal- 
lows as they deserve to be protected; yet, I believe, as the 
following incident will show, they devour more insects than 
any other bird that flies. . 
One April day the swallows were flying around my 
barn, one after another, in a steady stream. Desiring to 
examine them more closely, I procured a bamboo fishing 
pole, and after a few attempts succeeded in hitting one. No 
sooner had it struck the ground than it vomited a surprising 
number of insects. Now, if one swallow will catch so many, 
what a number a flock will devour in twelve hours. 
: , iD Oar 

(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
A SQUASH BIRD BOX. 
Mr. Epitor: 
I have noticed in former departments quite a variety of 
devices for making cheap bird boxes, but have seen none 

that could approach either in cheapness or reliability the 
following: Take a dry, hard-shelled squash, in the centre 
cut a hole, about the diameter of a two-cent piece; remove 
the seed all through this apperture, and fasten it by means 
of a string toa tree or out-house. This is for wrens. Of 
course, if intended for blue-birds, the hole will have to be 
enlarged. 
A few weeks ago, at evening, I fastened such a box toa 
tree near my residence, and early the next morning a wren 
had commenced building in it. Who can beat this? 
PEMBERTON, N. J. T. HE. SHRIVE. 

(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
THE FERRET. 
FrERRETS (commonly called English ferrets) are of the 
specie of the weasel. They are natives of Africa, and found 
in abundance there in their wild state; but for a great many 
years have been brought into England and the United States 
and domesticated. They are used for driving rats from cellars, 
granaries, &c., and are also used, with great success, in 
hunting the small gray rabbit, so abundant in our Northern 
and Western States. The ferret, being muzzled, goes into 
the hole and drives the rabbit from his burrow, when he 
becomes an easy prey for the hunter, either prepared with 
net or gun. The object in muzzling the ferret is, that if 
not muzzled they will attack the rabbit in his burrow, and, 
after killing him, suck his blood until they become so 
gorged as to lie down beside their prey and sleep two or 
three days at a time, causing the hunter much trouble and 
perplexity, as he is often compelled to leave them for the 
time or dig them out. . 
The process of muzzling is done in different ways; one 
by running a needle and stout thread through the upper 
lip, thence down under the lower jaw, with a knot which 
prevents their getting their mouth open; but a much better 
way consists in the following manner: Take a very coarse 
waxed end or thread, pass it through the mouth between 
the jaws, thence down under the lower jaw. Here make a 
strong knot, then pass the two ends up over the upper or 
nose jaw with another strong knot. Now, run the cord up 
the forehead, between and directly back of the ears, and 
make another knot. Now, pass the two ends down under 
the throat, and tie securely but not tight enough to choke 
Cut the ends off closely, and all is perfectly secure. 
I like this method of muzzling much better than -the 
other, as it causes no pain; and experience has taught me 
that any unjust cruelty, loss of patience, &c., in the rearing 
and training of any animal is entirely uncalled for and out 
of place. Use them carefully, learning them to love rather 
than to fear your presence, and the way is easy. 
Ferrets vary in color, some being white, others a yel- 
lowish-brown on the back and dark brown under the body. 
I have made crosses between the white and brown ferret, 
which would produce what is commonly called fitch ferrets, 
being yellowish-brown, with dark stripes running uround 
the body, resembling the fitch martin used for ladies’ furs; 
but the pure white ferrets, with red eyes, are much more 
preferable on account of being more handsome, hence more 
salable. Ihave also seen a few specimens of ferrets brought 
from Brazil, which were of a bluish or maltese cast on the 
back and nearly black under the body; quite large; very 
pugnacious and hard to tame, and, I think, of little use on 
that account. 
I once made a cross between a Brazilian and a white 

