A dirty cage or stale green food may
yield its result in diarrhoea. This is best
treated by oil given as above, afterwards
adding gum to the fountain and sprinkling
a little prepared chalk in the egg- food. If
green food is properly given constipation is
rare. When it occurs, a teaspoonful of gly-
cerine, followed by one of infusion of gen-
tian, should be added to the water.
The feet need to be examined now and
then, since balls may gather upon them and
cause much pain. The claws also may need
to be shortened a little from time to time,
being clipped with scissors.
The Mocking Bird.
Among American birds, the mocking
bird stands high in public estimation. The
vocal powers of this plain-plumaged favorite
are extraordinary, no other species approach-
ing it as a mimic, except its near relative,
the cat bird. Its powers of imitation are
wonderfully varied and perfect, and it is in-
clined to show them as well in captivity as
in freedom. Its own song is full, bold, and
exceedingly varied, and it has the faculty in
its native bush of repeating the songs of all
its feathered neighbors as exactly as. an
echo. In captivity it can be taught a long
air by its master, and will imitate the
quavering trill of the canary and the fluting
whistle of the redbird with such fine execu-
tion as to silence these expert singers. It
can imitate many less musical sounds, will
whistle for the dog, squeal like a hurt
chicken, bark, mew, creak like "the wheel-
barrow, and vary its notes endlessly. A
well- trained mocker is a wonder, though at
times it may become an annoyance from its
endless vivacity.
The natural food of the mocking bird
consists of insects, fruit and berries, and a
few insects or meal worms should be added
to its daily 'diet, which may consist of what
is called fig-dust — finely-grained oats mixed
into a stiff dough with milk and water.
Carrot and boiled potato may be given alter-
nately, with a little egg-food. Gravel and
water, of course, are needed by all birds.
Other 5ong Birds.
The Virginia redbird is at once beautiful
in plumage and a favorite for its loud and
458
almost constant song. It is hardy, and if
properly fed is liable to few ailments. It
needs to be fed with seeds, soft food, and
insects. A little cuttle-fish bone should
hang in the cage, and a red pepper-pod.
Others of our native birds kept as cage
birds are the beautiful oriole, the merry
bobolink, with its canary-like song, the
handsome goldfinch, with its sweet warble,
the brown thrush, and others of more or
less powers of song.
Of foreign birds may be named the
European starling, a handsome fellow, of
beautiful black plumage speckled with a
yellowish white, and with a song of great
sweetness. It sings summer and winter,
and can be taught to sing and whistle tunes.
It needs soft food, doing well on bread and
milk, with a little animal food and sweet and
ripe fruit. It is fond of bathing, plenty of
water being essential to its health. It must
have a deep saucer of gravel or a large turf
to dig its beak in, which otherwise will grow
deformed.
Page 112
Presented as published in 1901. 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
A dirty cage or stale green food may yield its result in diarrhoea. This is best treated by oil given as above, afterwards adding gum to the fountain and sprinkling a little prepared chalk in the egg- food. If green food is properly given constipation is rare. When it occurs, a teaspoonful of glycerine, followed by one of infusion of gentian, should be added to the water.
The feet need to be examined now and then, since balls may gather upon them and cause much pain. The claws also may need to be shortened a little from time to time, being clipped with scissors.
The Mocking Bird.
Among American birds, the mocking bird stands high in public estimation. The vocal powers of this plain-plumaged favorite are extraordinary, no other species approaching it as a mimic, except its near relative, the cat bird. Its powers of imitation are wonderfully varied and perfect, and it is inclined to show them as well in captivity as in freedom. Its own song is full, bold, and exceedingly varied, and it has the faculty in its native bush of repeating the songs of all its feathered neighbors as exactly as. an echo. In captivity it can be taught a long air by its master, and will imitate the quavering trill of the canary and the fluting whistle of the redbird with such fine execution as to silence these expert singers. It can imitate many less musical sounds, will whistle for the dog, squeal like a hurt chicken, bark, mew, creak like a wheelbarrow, and vary its notes endlessly. A well- trained mocker is a wonder, though at times it may become an annoyance from its endless vivacity.
The natural food of the mocking bird consists of insects, fruit and berries, and a few insects or meal worms should be added to its daily 'diet, which may consist of what is called fig-dust — finely-grained oats mixed into a stiff dough with milk and water. Carrot and boiled potato may be given alternately, with a little egg-food. Gravel and water, of course, are needed by all birds.
Other 5ong Birds.
The Virginia redbird is at once beautiful in plumage and a favorite for its loud and
almost constant song. It is hardy, and if properly fed is liable to few ailments. It needs to be fed with seeds, soft food, and insects. A little cuttle-fish bone should hang in the cage, and a red pepper-pod.
Others of our native birds kept as cage birds are the beautiful oriole, the merry bobolink, with its canary-like song, the handsome goldfinch, with its sweet warble, the brown thrush, and others of more or less powers of song.
Of foreign birds may be named the European starling, a handsome fellow, of beautiful black plumage speckled with a yellowish white, and with a song of great sweetness. It sings summer and winter, and can be taught to sing and whistle tunes. It needs soft food, doing well on bread and milk, with a little animal food and sweet and ripe fruit. It is fond of bathing, plenty of water being essential to its health. It must have a deep saucer of gravel or a large turf to dig its beak in, which otherwise will grow deformed.