The Natural History of Cage Birds. Bechstein Johann Matthäus

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СКАЧАТЬ have always appeared to me patterns of neatness, and though I have had many, I do not recollect being obliged to clean the feet of any, whilst larks and fauvettes have them always dirty, and let them fester with ulcers rather than take the trouble to clean them6.

      Many amateurs amuse themselves with taming their birds so completely that they can let them fly out of a window and recall them at pleasure. A friend of mine, who tamed not only birds, but also adders, otters, weasels, foxes, and the like, knew how to render them so familiar that at the least sign they would follow him anywhere. This method was as easy as it was sure, and I can judge of it from having been an eye-witness to the effect; it is as follows:

      When he wishes to accustom a bird to fly out and return, or go out of doors perched on his hand or shoulder, he begins by opening the cage and teazing the bird with a feather. The bird soon pecks at it, then at the finger, and at last ventures outside the cage to fly on the finger presented to it. My friend then caresses it, and gives it something nice to eat, so that it soon becomes accustomed to feed on the hand. When this is attained, he begins to teach it to come at a certain call, and as soon as it will allow itself to be taken, he carries it on his hand or shoulder from room to room, the doors and windows being at first well closed; he also lets it fly about a little, making it return when called. At last, when the bird comes at his call, without hesitation or fear of men or animals, he tries it with precaution out of doors. It thus by degrees becomes so accustomed to him that he can take it into the garden, even in the midst of a large company, without any fear of its flying away.

      Great precaution is necessary in spring, and during the pairing season, when taking out old birds that have been thus trained; for, upon hearing the call of their own species, they soon fly off to resume their wild state. Young linnets, bullfinches, and canaries, are the species with which this method succeeds best.

      FOOD OF TAME BIRDS

      It is very necessary to procure for house birds food which is like, or at least which nearly resembles, what they would procure for themselves in their wild state. This is rather difficult, and sometimes almost impossible, for where can we find in our climate the seeds on which the Indian birds feed in their own country? Our only resource then is to endeavour, with judgment, to accustom these birds to that food which necessity obliges us to give them. There are some birds, such as chaffinches, bullfinches, thrushes, and the Bohemian chatterer, which are so manageable in this respect, that as soon as they are brought into the house they eat without hesitation anything that is given to them; but others, which are more delicate, will absolutely eat nothing, either through disgust of their new food, or despair at the loss of their liberty; with these great precaution is necessary. Dr. Meyer, of Offenbach, writes to me on this subject as follows: “The following is the best method of accustoming newly-taken birds to their change of food, a thing which is often very difficult to accomplish with some species. After having put the bird in the cage it must be left quiet for some hours, without disturbing it at all; it must then be taken and plunged into fresh water, and immediately replaced in the cage. At first it will appear faint and exhausted, but it will soon recover, arrange its feathers, become quite lively, and will be sure to eat whatever is given to it. It is a well known fact that bathing gives an appetite to birds, for the same reason that it does to men.”

      If, as an exception, one of these delicate birds, among which are most of the songsters, eats with eagerness as soon as it is brought into the house, it is a sign of death, for it seems like an indifference which is not natural, and which is always the consequence of disease. Those birds which retire into a corner, moping for some hours, are the most likely to live; it is only requisite to leave them alone, and by degrees they recover from their sullenness.

      In order to give some general rules for the best food for house birds, I have divided them into four classes: —

      The first comprehends those birds which live only on seeds, such as canaries, goldfinches, and siskins.

      The second are those which feed on both seeds and insects, such as quails, larks, chaffinches, and bullfinches; some of these also eat berries and the buds of trees.

      The third are those which seek only berries and insects, such as nightingales, red-breasts, thrushes, and fauvettes.

      The fourth are those which eat insects only, such as wagtails, wheatears, stonechats, and blue-breasts.

      The species in this last class are the most difficult to preserve; but most of them, having nothing particular in their song, offer no compensation for the trouble and care which they require; but the following is the best method for success. After having collected the flies, which in spring may often be seen in great numbers on the windows of old buildings, they must be dried, and preserved in a jar. When live insects can no longer be found, these flies must be mixed with the paste, hereafter described, which may be regarded as a general or universal food, and given to the most delicate birds, such as nightingales, provided ants’ eggs or meal worms are now and then mixed with it.

      Recipe for the general food. – In proportion to the number of birds, white bread enough must be baked to last for three months. When it is well baked, and stale, it must be put again into the oven, and left there until cold. It is then fit to be pounded in a mortar, and will keep several months without becoming bad. Every day a teaspoonful for each bird is taken of this meal, on which is poured three times as much cold, or lukewarm, but not boiling, milk. If the meal be good, a firm paste will be formed, which must be chopped very small on a board. This paste, which is very nourishing, may be kept a long time without becoming sour or sticky; on the contrary, it is always dry and brittle. As soon as a delicate bird is brought in, some flies or chopped worms should be mixed with the paste, which will attract it to eat. It will soon be accustomed to this food, which will keep it in life and health.

      Experience teaches me that a mixture of crushed canary, hemp, and rape-seed, is the favourite food of canaries; goldfinches and siskins prefer poppy-seed, and sometimes a little crushed hemp-seed; linnets and bullfinches like the rape-seed alone. It is better to soak it for the young chaffinches, bullfinches, and others; in order to do this, as much rape-seed as is wanted should be put into a jar, covered with water, and placed in a moderate heat, in winter near the fire, in summer in the sun. If this is done in the morning, after feeding the birds, the soaked seed will do for the next morning. All of them ought to have green food besides, as chickweed, cabbage leaves, lettuce, endive, and water-cresses. Sand should be put in the bottom of the cages, for it seems necessary for digestion7.

      Amongst those of the second class, the quails like cheese and the crumbs of bread; the lark barley-meal, with cabbage, chopped cress, poppy-seed mixed with bread crumbs, and in winter, oats; the chaffinches, rape-seed, and sometimes in summer a little crushed hemp-seed. Too much hemp-seed, however, is hurtful to birds, and should only be given as a delicacy now and then, for when they eat too much of it they become asthmatic, blind, and generally die of consumption. Yellowhammers like the same food as the larks, without the vegetables; the tits like hemp-seed, pine-seed, bacon, meat, suet, bread, walnuts, almonds, and filberts.

      The birds of the first class are easily preserved in the house, at least if not taken during the pairing season, for then the loss of their liberty affects them so much that they become sullen, and die of hunger.

      Although the notice of a universal remedy is generally rather suspected, I cannot refrain from here recommending one or two sorts of paste which I have always used, and which agreed so well with all my birds, excepting those which I keep in cages on account of their beautiful songs, that it may justly be termed general or universal food: it is not only very simple and cheap, but also prevents great loss of time to those who possess a great many birds.

      The universal paste. – To make the first paste, take a white loaf which is well baked and stale, put it into fresh water, and leave it there until quite soaked through, then squeeze out the water СКАЧАТЬ