Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-09-20
THE AvIARY.
SUGGESTIONS on THE SELECTION OF BIRDS

The sight of well-stocked aviary to those
who have none of their own is well calculated to
cause feeling of envy in the breast of every
lover of birds, and very strong wish that it
were possible for them to possess such source
of pleasure. And yet there is hardly house SO
constructed but that an aviarv can be built in it
at a trifling expense and with but little OUTLAY
in the matter of space
window with a moderately deep ledge
around which cage can be made Is the place.
and the expense of space is hardly more than
two or three feet. measuring from the side Of
the wall. At any wire-wOrker's can be found. or
ordered, the wire network. which can be put in
place in short time, and the aviary is an ac-
cOmplished fact
But it is rather out of the province of the
bird-fancier to suggest as to the carpenters
or Wire-wOrker's trade, and he will con-
tent himself with the statement that an
aviary five feet high, four feet wide. and
two and half feet deep, has been built
IN one observation-disclosures in New York city
at cost not exceeding S., including cups and
trays.
To make such selection of birds as shall
thrive well together, live without dscOrd and
not require such variety of food as is neces-
sary for one and injurious to others is far more
difficult than to build the aviary, however def
cient in space the house may be.
In making the selection the question of food
for the different birds should first be taken into
consideration for hard-biled BIRDS if they get
the opportunity, will eat food prepared for soft
bills, thereby working themselves much injury
Although it IS done in some aviaries it is ILL
advised to put together the two classes of birds
known as hard and soft bills, since the food for
each class is SO widely different 1t is better to
have a smaller assortment of birds, If it is not
possible to have two aviaries, rather than run
the risk OF allowing some of the inmates to kill
themselves with that which is necessary to sus-
tain life in Others
Hard-blled birds are generally known as those
whose bills are especially adapted for the crack
ing of food, such as the numerous family of
1lnches, linnets, siskins canaries Java sparrOws,
b0bolnks. nOnpareils-knOwn by some as the
painted finch-bl uebirds, redbirds and grOs-
beaks, thrushes, larks warblers, and starlngs
may be classed under the head Of soft-billed
BIRDS
To keep these two classes of birds together,
where the food for each is necessarily within
reach of ALL is an attempt in which very few are
successful. and when it is possible by careful
watching to keep all in state nearly approach
ing perfect health, injury is done to their song,
pleasantest course to keep the classes separate.
Some very beautiful collections may be made of
either: there is really no necessity of making
them inmates of the same home.
very pretty collection on small scale, with
q large amount of music. is one made I'D of the
ID
cessful one is evident from the fact that death
has occurred among them during the two years
they have been together
pair of wax-bill tnches. and two of their
cousins, amandavas; two red-breasted gros-
beaks, two nOnpareils one blue bird, and two
love-birds; two male and four female canaries,
and pair of yellow birds.
The cost of such collection if bought at the
proper season, is from thirty to forty dollars.
and from no music-box that was ever made can
such liberal amount OF happy melody be OBJ
tanned.
The care of them is very light dish of
rape. one of canary and one of millet seed is all
That is necessary in the way of food, with perhaps
the exception of a lettuce leaf each day during
the summer Four cups for bathing purposes,
and two for drinking water, the contents to be
changed night and morning, make up the list of
their modest wants, in return for which they
sing all the day, while the grosbeaks continue
the melody until far into the night.
If one has space for a larger aviary, very
beautiful collection of hard billed birds NAV be
made as follows: two cardinal and two red
breasted grOsbeaks. pair each Of the wax-bill.
paradise and amandava tinches, two siskns. two
llnnets and gOldfinch. For the more common
birds add two Java sparrOws, two nonpareils.
and six female canaries. The cost of such col
lection should be about double that of the one
previously mentioned.
1t is not well to put the bullfinch into an
aviary, unless he be All uneducated. stupid bird.
and even then the collection is better without
him. II he is able to whistle tune. it is quite
liable to be injured by placing him with num-
Der Of other birds. and all that is most pleasing
about him is best shown when he is in a cage by
himself.
Avoid the purple finch, as he is very quarrel
some fellow, and will breed trouble in the best
regulated aviary. The tOmtit belongs to an
other class of bad citizens and to let him loose
among well-behaved birds is to introduce them
to murderer, since he will often kill his cage
mates
For small collection of soft billed birds. at a
cost OF fifty dollars or less, the following will
thrive well together: two blackbirds one night
ingale, three Baltimore orioles, two yellow
breasted chats a cat-bird, two blue robins, and
one South American troOpial. For such col
lection two cups of mocknr-bird food. one of
chopped raisins. with now and then little
boiled lean beef chopped fine, and of course
plenty of water and gravel, are all that is ne
ceSsary.
If one prefers to make the food himself rather
than use the prepared mocking-bird food
paste, made fresh each day, is thus described
by one of the oldest bird dealers in New York
city:
"Take of stale flour bread two-fifths; soak
well in water, and then press the greater pOr-
ton of the moisture out; twO-fifths of barley or
Oat meal, and One-ffth of hard-bOiled egg chop
ped fine. Mix with milk and water to the con-
sistency of paste"
Meal worms should also be given OCCASION
ally, with plenty of green food and such fruit
as sweet apples, cherries, and berries.
A large and expensive collection of this class
of birds can be made after the style of one now
in the possession of bird-fancier in Philadel-
phia 1t consists of two nightingales, two
blackbirds, and three WOODLANDS; four Balti-
more orioles, two yellOw-breasted chats, two
South American trOopals, two cat-birds, and
three blue robins; two black-caps, two fau-
vettes, one babillard, two starlings, and two
skylarks.
No mocking-bird should be put into the
aviary unless one has more than he can con-
venienty keep separate, since the immediate
companionshp of other birds is liable to make
him dull, and careless as to his singing.
The thrush family are Objectionable birds in
an aviary despite the volume of song the great
majority of them have, because of their sloVenly
habits. If his food be where thrush can get at
it readily, he will soil his house more in five
minutes than dozen other birds would in a
week, and he sets very bad example to the
Others It is far better to keep most of the
thrushes in cages by themselves and then they
can not teach the other boarders bad habits. Of
course there are some members Of the family
less Objectionable than others in this respect.
but they are all gluttOns to greater or less de-
gree. although in such cases as that of the
American robin their affectiOnate ways cover a