A young male which I had put in the hothouse for the winter, was accustomed to receive from my hand, every time I entered, a meal-worm; this took place so regularly, that immediately on my arrival he placed himself near the little jar where I kept the meal-worms. If I pretended not to notice this signal he would take flight, and, passing close under my nose, immediately resume his post; and this he repeated, sometimes even striking me with his wing, till I satisfied his wishes and impatience. [89] No doubt his great voracity weakens his stomach, and by loading the intestines with glutinous matter the vessels cannot take up sufficient nourishment; it is therefore not conveyed sufficiently to the skin and feathers, whence proceed the fall of the latter and the enfeeblement of the body. [90] This bird is not known in Britain.--TRANSLATOR. [91] It is however, by no means easily tamed, but remains fearful and distant.--TRANSLATOR. [92] In Britain they remain all the year.--TRANSLATOR. [93] I have seen some in cages which were entirely fed on white bread which was soaked in hot milk left to get cold, and they were very healthy. If, however, we would feed them well, they require nearly the same diet as the nightingale.--TRANSLATOR. [94] It is rarely seen in Britain.--TRANSLATOR. [95] I have made the same observation on the redstart. [96] It remains all winter in Britain.--TRANSLATOR. [97] This is a mistake, as it likes to frequent high elms.--TRANSLATOR. [98] It is rare in England.--TRANSLATOR. [99] It is a remarkable fact, that this bird, now so common in Thuringia, was a rarity there twenty years ago. This change cannot be attributed to climate or food. What is the occasion of it then?--AUTHOR. [100] In sitting on house eaves, and singing in the autumn, it performs a similar part in Germany to the red-breast in Britain. No red-breast on the Continent becomes familiar about the house like ours; they keep always in the woods.--TRANSLATOR. [101] At a very advanced age the female acquires all the colours of the male, yet less bright, as I have observed of several birds. Such females do not breed afterwards, and in summer fly from place to place. This peculiarity is also observed in hen-pheasants.--AUTHOR. [102] It is not found in Britain.--TRANSLATOR. [103] This I doubt.--TRANSLATOR. [104] Most certainly a mistake.--TRANSLATOR. [105] Sweet's British Warblers. [106] One of these pretty birds, which I had in my room one winter, ate with pleasure, and appeared to thrive upon, a very simple paste, made of the crumb of white bread dried in an oven and powdered: a teaspoonful of this was put in a cup, and three teaspoonfuls of milk, as hot as it could be made without boiling, poured over it.--AUTHOR. [107] It is rare in Britain.--TRANSLATOR.