If the
bowels should be much relaxed, give bruised hemp and maw seed.
Sometimes the feathers of the bird come off ; then rub the bare parts
with fresh lard. Yellow gall sometimes makes its appearance about
the head and eyes ; this is a small ulcer about the size of a hemp seed.
This must be carefully cut off with a sharp penknife, and the place
anointed with fresh butter ; the bird should have fresh, nourishing food.
Sneezing, often caused by an obstruction of the nostrils, may be cured
by passing a very fine feather through them.
MOCKING BIRDS.
In their natural state the food of these nightingales of the South
consists of insects, worms, seeds, buds, green herbage, such as clover,
lettuce, endive, chickenweed, berries, etc., and when caged should be
fed, so far as convenient, with the yolks of hard boiled eggs crumbled
fine, hemp or canary seed, meal, worms, bits of ripe fruit, white lump
sugar, and occasionally a little mocking bird food.
The greatest cleanliness must be observed. Their cages should be
cleaned early in the morning daily. A piece of uninked paper placed
on the floor of the cage removed daily facilitates this process. If
vermin infest them a small bit of sulphur may be placed under the
paper.
MOCKING BIRDS. 13
Mocking birds delight in a bath, as do canaries, daily. If the bath
becomes soiled before used, remove and replace with clean water.
They will not enter it if there is anything in it.
If you wish to teach them, sirtg or whistle single bars of music often
in their hearing. You will be delighted by hearing them mock you
very soon. They are fond of company, and, in addition to the notes of
all birds placed near them, will imitate many sounds, such as the
" meouw " of the cat, the barking of dogs, etc., etc.
Their food and care. — Mocking birds should have large cages, with
light board- backs, kept scrupulously clean ; cover the bottom of the
tray with paper, then on it sprinkle sand, fine gravel and bones that
have been burnt and powdered. Hang a small bag of sulphur on top
of the cage, and red pepper, in pods, should be tied to the sides.
Give meat of some sort every day ; beefsteak half an inch long, the
size of the finger, cut crosswise with scissors in .small bits ; grass-
hoppers, angleworms and white garden grubs ; also, apples, berries
and lettuce leaves are good for them. Take an Irish potato, boil or
bake it, mash fine with a hard boiled egg and a little mite of red pep-
per. Use a large bath dish in the morning, and remove after the
bird has bathed. Avoid hanging in draughts. If sick, give a brown
spider ; sometimes a warm bath will relieve it. When bunches come
on the head, rub on camphor carefully, lest it get in the eyes. Keep the
perches very clean. ✪ Mocking Bird Food
Page 17 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1886. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
If the bowels should be much relaxed, give bruised hemp and maw seed. Sometimes the feathers of the bird come off ; then rub the bare parts with fresh lard. Yellow gall sometimes makes its appearance about the head and eyes ; this is a small ulcer about the size of a hemp seed. This must be carefully cut off with a sharp penknife, and the place anointed with fresh butter ; the bird should have fresh, nourishing food. Sneezing, often caused by an obstruction of the nostrils, may be cured by passing a very fine feather through them.
MOCKING BIRDS.
In their natural state the food of these nightingales of the South consists of insects, worms, seeds, buds, green herbage, such as clover, lettuce, endive, chickenweed, berries, etc., and when caged should be fed, so far as convenient, with the yolks of hard boiled eggs crumbled fine, hemp or canary seed, meal, worms, bits of ripe fruit, white lump sugar, and occasionally a little mocking bird food.
The greatest cleanliness must be observed. Their cages should be cleaned early in the morning daily. A piece of uninked paper placed on the floor of the cage removed daily facilitates this process. If vermin infest them a small bit of sulphur may be placed under the paper.
MOCKING BIRDS. 13
Mocking birds delight in a bath, as do canaries, daily. If the bath becomes soiled before used, remove and replace with clean water. They will not enter it if there is anything in it.
If you wish to teach them, sing or whistle single bars of music often in their hearing. You will be delighted by hearing them mock you very soon. They are fond of company, and, in addition to the notes of all birds placed near them, will imitate many sounds, such as the " meouw " of the cat, the barking of dogs, etc., etc.
Their food and care. — Mocking birds should have large cages, with light board- backs, kept scrupulously clean ; cover the bottom of the tray with paper, then on it sprinkle sand, fine gravel and bones that have been burnt and powdered. Hang a small bag of sulphur on top of the cage, and red pepper, in pods, should be tied to the sides. Give meat of some sort every day ; beefsteak half an inch long, the size of the finger, cut crosswise with scissors in .small bits ; grasshoppers, angleworms and white garden grubs ; also, apples, berries and lettuce leaves are good for them. Take an Irish potato, boil or bake it, mash fine with a hard boiled egg and a little mite of red pepper. Use a large bath dish in the morning, and remove after the bird has bathed. Avoid hanging in draughts. If sick, give a brown spider ; sometimes a warm bath will relieve it. When bunches come on the head, rub on camphor carefully, lest it get in the eyes. Keep the perches very clean.
Records on this page
Mocking Bird Food