The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-08-07

oS' "hhcn may 10 gwen them IN a
separate dish.
The cage should be from 10 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 may
be the same, with the addition of perches
instead of green Sod Both these
species OF larks are sold at IS. so or "a
each.
THE BLACKBIRD.
The female lays from four to six eggs
of a 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-
SANITY kept in their cages,
The cage should be at least two and q
half&eet long and high in proportion,
and tRs perches three-quarters of an
inch thick.
The thrSsh m be treated the same as
the blaekbirG.
THE\NIGTHINGALE.
The nightingale is about five inches
in length; the top OF the head and back
is of a grayish brown, breast ash gray
and throat white, with dark brown
wings and tail. When Gagged and vel
treated they will sing for six or eight
months during the year.
The cage should be at least fifteer
inches long and foot high and have
three perches, two below and one above
The top should be of green muslin Oh
something of that sort, and it should
hang down to the upper perch, OF
which the bird generally sings. Thit
precaution keeps them shaded from
| view, as they have very timid nature
The situation should be changed as lit
tie as possible, and punctual attendance
to their wants Is more necessary to thi
bird than any other.
They should be cleaned at least twic,
a week, and the bottom of the cage wei
covered with dry gravel and a dali,
bath be given. Their feet, which ar
very tender; should he Looked after, ant
if dirty be cleansed in luke-warm water
In winter they should be kept in warn
room. Their food should be carrot
hard-boiIed egg, table roll or biscui
and boiled sleeps or calf's heart, il
equal quantities grated together, t,
which should be added half as mucl
ants eggs as the whole of the othe
mixture This food must be made fresl
every morning. A few meal worm
given occasionally is also beneficial.
Moulting in a nightingale generall
amounts to disease, and at this perio'
they must be we'll looked after. Tn
ants eggs, before being mixed with til
other food. are better soaked in hot wa
ter, and the number of meal worm
should be increased by two or three
and spider be given them now an
then.
Prices for these birds vary from 81
to $50 each.
OTHER BIRDS.
Japan robins cost So; tropicais, 81
$40; red birds, $3.50; scarlet tanager'
81; rose-breasted grossbeaks, 81; Bait
more orioles, $3.50; cut-throats, S2.5
per pair; silverbeaks, $3.50; blackheat
nuns, So; st. Helena finches, So; zeb1
, finches, 81; Strawberry finches, So; N;
!. poleon weayers, So; Bishop weaver
! Sc; Paradise weavers, S.; white Jay
sparrows, 81 to SO, and gray JAY
: sparrows, $S.
Trained starlings are sold for fro
I $40 to $50, and the ordinary starlr
! for 81 each. Robins bring So and lii
nets, $2.-N. 7. World.