The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-05-01

canary and millet seed and greats OF
oats, which may be given them in a
separate dish.
The cage should be from ~ to 10
inches long and height and depth in
proportion, the top, instead of wire, be-
ing covered with cloth or netting. No
perches are required. The bottom
should be covered with dry sand or
gravel, and a sod of turf be placed in
the middle of the cage on little table
about two inches high. The boxes for
feeding and for water must be outside
the cage.
The woodlark may be treated the
same as the skylark and the cage NAV
be the same, with the addition of perches
instead of green sod. Both these
species of larks are sold at 50. so or 81
each.
THE BLACKBIRD.
The female lays from four to six eggs
of pale blush green, spotted with
pale amber, and sets from twelve to
thirteen days. Their food may be of
two different kinds, viz: piece of stale
bread or roll, soaked in water for few
minutes and pressed out and mixed with
the same quantity of coarse barley OF
oatmeal, with sufficient milk added to
make thin paste. This must be given
fresh every morning. The other mix
ture is made of bruised hemp-seed,
carrots (grated), in equal quantities,
and well mixed. This latter IS the pre-
ferable of the two, as it does not turn
sour so quickly. A little hard-boiled
egg or fresh meat chopped fine may also
be added occasionally, and dried cur
rants, well washed, may be also con-
Stantly kept in their cages.
The cage should be at least two and a
half feet long and high in proportion,
and the perches three-quarters of an
inch thick.
| the blackbird.
THE NIGHTINGALE.
The nightingale is about five inches
in length; the top of the head and back
| is of q grayish brown, breast ash gray,
and throat white, with dark brown
wings and tail. When Gagged and well
treated they will sing for six or eight
months during the year.
The cage should be at least fifteen
inches long and foot high and have
three perches, two below and one above.
| The top should be of green muslin or
something of that sort, and it should
hang down to the upper perch, on
which the bird generally sings. This
precaution keeps them shaded from
view, as they have very timid nature.
The situation should be changed as lit
tie as possible, and punetual attendance
to their wants is more necessary to this
bird than any other.
They should be cleaned at least twice
week, and the bottom of the cage well
covered with dry gravel and daily
bath be given. Their feet, which are
very tender; should be looked after, and
if dirty be cleansed In luke-warm water
In winter they should be kept in warm
room. Their food should be carrot,
hard-boiled egg, table roll or biscuit
and boiled sleeps or calf's heart, in
equal quantities grated together, to
which should be added half as much
ants eggs as the whole of the other
mixture This food must be made fresh
every morning A few meal worms
given occasionally is also beneficial.
Moulting in a nightingale generally
amounts to disease, and at this period
they must be well looked after The
ants eggs, before being mixed with the
other food, are better soaked in hot wa
ter, and the number of meal worms
should be increased by two or three,
and spider be given them now and
then.
Prices for these birds vary from S15
to $25 each.
OTHER RTRDs
Japan robins cost S.; tropicals, so tc
$40; red birds, $3.50; scarlet tanagers
81; breasted grossbeaks, "a; Balti-
more orioles, $3.50; cut-throats, $3.50
per pair; silverbeaks, $3.50; blackheads
nuns, $3; St. Helena fnches, 50; Zebrs
finches, 81; Strawberry finches, S3; Ma
poleon weavers, $5; Bishop weavers
So; Paradise weavers, IS; white Javt
, sparrows, 81 to $40, and gray jaw;
sparrows, So.
! Trained starlings are sold for from
$40 to $50, and the ordinary starting
for 81 each. Robins bring So and lin
, nets, $2.-M Y World.
citizenship nv Marrfare