The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-10-06

we always thought IL grehI wrong 10
pen up the mocking bird in cage in the
South This is their home, anyhow,
and if lef! alone they will become tame
enough t, sing from our trees and house
tops, and give us all the bird music we
want. But to those who will try to raise
thom the following from IAN Old Bird
IHmer," will be read with interest. He says
"Nrlhng is easier than to raise young mock
ing birds Then why do SO many die? My
answer is, they are starved to death. They
should b fed every hour with "a much So
they can swa low, and us longas they will
open their mouths. Every time this bird
uI.ors its plaintve, baby cry, it should be
fed-atr oublesome business 10 those who do
not love little birds as they love little chill
dron, The simplest and most wholesome
food is prepared by mixing the yolks of two
hard boiled eggs in cup Of dry corn meal.
Seyara cupsful may DO mixed and kept on
hand, if the neal be thorou. hly dri after
mould. This is better and less trou.
blesome than egg and potatoes. When re-
qulred for use, mix sufficient meal for the
day with fresh milk, to the consistency Of
bread dough, la warm weather il may sour,
but this does not seem to disagree with the
birds. The food should be varied, however;
every day the birds should have some kinds
of fires meats, either cooked or raw, TO take
the places Of the bugs add grssshopper.
which nature would supply. Moeking birds
care little Tor fruit. The lady 10 Alabama
who told mo that she had hundreds # .hem
shot in her grdpery made a great mistake.
Wild berries are the only kinds of fruit
which knocking birds like-poke berries, elder
| berries, and cedar berries. Lsrge quantities
should be gathered in tho summer and dried
tor winter use. They keep the birds healthy
aud they enjoy them much. They also like
apiece of apple in their cages in winter
| Spiders arc a fine tonic. The crumbs from 4
/ soIt-plsstered wall are wholesome, when thc
bird q stfected with something ike cholera,
have On him swallow them greedily. In feed.
! ing i young birds, occasionally give them 8
| drop or two OF water from the end Of the
| finger. No matter how warm the weather
/ young mccking birds cannot stand the least
/ chill OF dampncss They often die from
cramp caused by cold, and should DO taken
INTO The house every evening at sunset They
should bo KEPT clean. Cover the floor Of the
= cage ally with fresh grass-or, if it cannot
be mad, an old newspaper will answer. Sand
I IS not so good; it often makei the feet sore.
Ina roosts SHOULD be placed under each
! other so that they may not become filthy.
have seen birds killed by unolesnlness a:
well AS by starvation. An excellent "mosk.
Ing bird food may be bought At most oil the
! drug stores, but it will not do to feed the
birds on this alone. 1t is only good q, ,
food always ready in the cage in case TIC
other kinds give out Something like it may
be made by mixing one-thrd roasted pea
uuis, one'third hemp seed aud one-thirt
earn meal, after the peanuts have beer
ground, the hemp seed crushed and the hull
thrown of. The latter may be siited. Som,
moekins birds may be taught to whist,
tunes i The lessons begin VIII they are tirs
taken from the nest but, like the humsr
race, individuals vary much in muiica
ability"