The Natural History of Cage Birds: Their Management, Habits, Food, Diseases, Treatment, Breeding, and the Methods of Catching Them.Bechstein, Johann Matthäus
Science
The Natural History of Cage Birds: Their Management, Habits, Food, Diseases, Treatment, Breeding, and the Methods of Catching Them.
Bechstein, Johann Matthäus
Cage birds
HABITATION.--When wild these birds are to be met with in many parts of
Europe and Asia. The inhabitants of Aleppo and the neighbourhood see
with pleasure the arrival of large flights of them, in the months of
July and August, to extirpate the clouds of locusts which then ravage
the country. Great numbers are also seen in spring on the banks of
the Don and Irtish, where they build and find abundance of food; also
on the shores of the Caspian and the banks of the Wolga. In Europe
they appear in Sweden as far as Lapland, in England, in Germany, in
Switzerland, and France: rare indeed in all these countries, but
least so in Italy.
In confinement this bird is kept in a cage of the same size as the
blackbird's.
FOOD.--When wild this bird appears to subsist entirely on insects.
In confinement it would doubtless thrive very well on the food which
is given to the blackbird, which will be mentioned hereafter. It is
better, however, to study it a little, and find out what suits it
best.
BREEDING.--It builds among rocks; but its nest has not yet been
discovered in Europe, though some circumstances indicate that it
propagates there. In 1784, in the duchy of Altenburg, three young
ones were killed, but just out of the nest, and which consequently
could not have come from far. This fact should excite the attention
and vigilance of zealous observers.
MODES OF TAKING.--Skilful bird-catchers will soon discover the means
of catching the bird: snares and limed twigs, with grasshoppers and
other living and moving insects for bait, will probably accomplish
this end. It would be hazardous to shoot the birds in the hope of
wounding them but slightly, as is sometimes done with other birds,
which soon recover, and remain tame, if, during their recovery, they
have been well treated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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