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
If limed twigs are used, forked switches three feet long should be
employed: the fork, four inches in length, must be covered with
bird-lime. Spring-traps or gins must be suspended to small stakes or
cabbage stalks. As soon as a sufficient number of these spring-traps,
snares, and limed twigs, are prepared, they must be carried to a
cabbage garden, when a number of these whinchats has been seen;
there fix the stakes in cross lines, two or three paces apart; then
go to the end of the garden and drive the birds gently towards the
snares; they jump from one cabbage stalk to another till they
approach the stakes; then you stop, and in a short time the birds are
caught one after another. When they are caught, the prisoners must be
taken out and the snares arranged again; then go to the other end and
again drive the birds forward as before, and thus continue till the
sport is over.
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--However gay this bird may appear when free, it
becomes sad and melancholy in the house. If permitted to range, it
only moves to procure food, and then returns to its accustomed place,
and keeps its head sunk on its breast. Its pleasing song very much
resembles the goldfinch's; but what makes it more admired, is, that
it is not only heard during the day, but also in the evening, and
sometimes during the night.
MR. SWEET'S ACCOUNT OF THE WHINCHAT.
This pretty species is also known by the name of Furze Chat, and is very
often confounded with the stonechat, which is a very different species.
It generally visits this country in the beginning of April, and leaves
us towards the end of September. All the fore part of the season it
visits commons, where it may be seen on the furze bushes, flying
backwards and forwards after the insects that pass. It builds its nest
on the ground in a thicket, which it covers up with dry grass, so that
it is impossible to find it without watching the old ones, either in
carrying materials to build, or food to their young. I have generally
found them with six or seven young ones, which, with care, are easily
bred up from the nest, keeping them warm, dry, and clean, and feeding
them with the same sorts of food as recommended for the old ones; they
should not be taken till quite fledged, and should at first be placed in
a little basket with covers, as they will then readily open their mouths
for food. I consider those reared from the nest much the best, or such
as are caught very young, as they may then be taught any tune, or will
learn the song of any bird they hear, their own song not being a very
good one.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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