The Natural History of Cage Birds Part 12

The length of this bird is twelve inches and a half, but four and a half of these are included in the tail, almost half of which is covered by the folded wings. The beak, an inch and a half in length, is triangular, very pointed, and of a dark grey; the iris is grey; the tongue is five inches long, and furnished, like that of the other woodp.e.c.k.e.rs, with a h.o.r.n.y tip, and strong hairs on each side, so as to be useful in catching and piercing insects. The top of the head to the nape of the neck is of a brilliant crimson; a black streak, which in old birds is often tinged with red, descends on each side of the neck; the upper part of the body is of a beautiful olive green, the under part of a dusky greenish white: some transverse lines may be seen on the belly, which become more distinct on the sides.

In the female the colours are paler, and there is less red on the head, which, when it is young, is only grey.

HABITATION.--When wild, the green woodp.e.c.k.e.r, during summer, frequents woods and orchards which are near these, but when the air becomes cold, and the snow begins to fall, it approaches villages, and flies from one garden to another; it pa.s.ses the night in the holes of trees; when it finds dead, decayed, or worm-eaten ones, it pierces them on all sides with its strong beak, in order to find the insects they conceal. It never attacks a healthy tree, therefore it is not right to kill it as being mischievous; it only taps the bark of trees to make the insects come out, and its strokes are then so quick that they resemble a humming.

In the house its fierce and impetuous character makes it necessary to keep it in close confinement.

FOOD.--In its wild state it constantly seeks the insects which live under the bark and in the wood of trees; it also eats ants, and in winter will even take bees from the hive.

In the house it is fed on nuts, ants' eggs, and meat.

BREEDING.--The female lays three or four perfectly white eggs in the hole of a tree; if the young are to be tamed they must be taken from the nest when only half fledged; it is impossible to tame adults or old ones; we cannot even make them eat.

ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--The beauty of its plumage is all that can be said of it; for it is so fierce, quick, and stubborn, that it can only be kept by means of a chain. I know no instance in which every kind of attention has rendered it more docile and agreeable: it is always untractable. One or two of these chained birds, however, do not look bad as a variety. It is curious to see them crack the nuts.

THE GREATER SPOTTED WOODp.e.c.k.e.r.

Picus major, LINNaeUS; L'Epeiche, ou Pic varie, BUFFON; Der Grosser Buntspecht, BECHSTEIN.

This bird is rather larger than a thrush, nine inches long of which the tail measures three and a half, and the beak one. The legs are three lines high, and of a bluish olive; the iris is bluish, with a white ring; the forehead yellowish brown; the top of the head and the back black; the nape of the neck crimson; the shoulders white, the wings and tail black, and streaked with yellowish white; the belly of a dirty reddish white, the part about the vent crimson.

The female has no red on the nape of the neck.

HABITATION AND FOOD.--This woodp.e.c.k.e.r continually ranges woods and orchards in search of its food, which consists of insects, beech-mast, acorns, nuts, and the seed of pines and firs. In order to crack the nuts, it fixes them in the clefts of the trees. The female builds its nest in the hole of a tree, and lays from four to six white eggs. Before moulting the head of the young ones is red. They must be taken early from the nest if they are to be tamed. They are fed and treated like the green woodp.e.c.k.e.r.

THE MIDDLE SPOTTED WOODp.e.c.k.e.r.

Picus medius, LINNaeUS; Le Pic varie a tete rouge, BUFFON; Der Mittlerer Buntspecht, BECHSTEIN.

This is only distinguished from the former by being rather smaller: the beak is more slender, and very pointed. The top of the head is crimson, and the region of the vent rose-coloured. It is, besides, less common, and the young which are reared are not so untractable, though never very docile[27]. They are generally kept in a cage, and fastened by a little chain.

THE LESSER SPOTTED WOODp.e.c.k.e.r.

Picus minor, LINNaeUS; Le Pet.i.t Epeiche, BUFFON; Der Kleiner Buntspecht, BECHSTEIN.

This bird is the size of a lark, five inches and a half in length, two of which are included in the tail, and the beak measures seven lines.

The feet are of a greenish black; the rump is white; the top of the head crimson; the nape of the neck black; the back white, with transverse streaks of black; the under part of the body is of a reddish white grey, and the sides are streaked with black.

The female had no red on the head.

HABITATION AND FOOD.--This rare species inhabits forests of beech and oak, skilfully catching the insects under the bark and moss of these trees; it even flies to the ground to seek the same food among the gra.s.s. While rearing the young ones, they must be kept in a cage.

THE WRYNECK.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Yunx torquilla, LINNaeUS; Le Torcol, BUFFON; Der Gemeiner Wendehals, BECHSTEIN.

Though it is six inches and a half in length, it is not larger than our lark, because its tail includes three inches and a quarter, and its beak nine lines. The iris is of a brownish yellow, the feet, two claws of which are before and two behind, are short, strong, and lead colour. The head is ash-coloured, speckled with small rust-coloured spots mixed with some white ones. The top of the head and half of the back are divided lengthwise by a broad black streak, edged with rust colour; the rest of the upper part of the body is of a fine grey, streaked and speckled with black, white, and rust colour. In the female the belly is paler than in the male.

HABITATION.--When wild, it is a bird of pa.s.sage, which departs during the first fortnight of September, and does not return till the end of April, frequenting groves and orchards. In August it goes into gardens and fields planted with cabbages and other vegetables.

In the house it is better to let it run about at will than to keep it in a cage, where it would soil its feathers, particularly those on the belly and breast, while playing.

FOOD.--In its wild state, the wryneck lives on insects, for catching which it has a very long cylindrical tongue, with a hard point, that can be insinuated into all the c.h.i.n.ks and fissures of trees. Ants'

eggs are a very favourite food, and it does not dislike the ants themselves. Towards autumn, when the latter fail, it is contented with elderberries till the time of its departure which never varies.

In the house it must be first given ants' eggs; and then by degrees the universal paste, to which it soon becomes accustomed; but, as it is delicate, in order to preserve it for some time, the nightingales'

food agrees better with it. It is very amusing to see it search all the cracks and crevices of the room for insects; and if a few ants'

eggs were now and then put there, it would give it the greatest pleasure.

BREEDING.--Its nest, which it places in the hole of a tree, is formed of moss, wool, hair, and straw. It lays eight eggs, which are white, and very smooth. The adults and old ones are difficult to preserve and tame; but the young ones may be easily reared on ants' eggs, and the universal paste, made of the crumb of white bread.

MODE OF TAKING.--In general it is caught by putting lime twigs round the nest; but if the weather be stormy, as in spring, when it is busy searching the bushes for insects, it may even be taken by the hand.

The one I now have was brought to me by a little boy who had taken it in this manner.

ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--Independently of its beautiful plumage, it is very amusing to see it make those movements which have given it its name of wryneck. It lengthens its neck, and turns round its head, so that the beak points down the back. Its general position is quite straight; the feathers of the head and throat very smooth, and the tail spread like a fan, at the same time bowing low. If it be irritated, or even if its food be brought, it slowly leans forward, raising the feathers on its head, lengthening and turning its neck, rolling its eyes; it then bows, spreads its tail, and murmurs some harsh sounds in its throat; in short, it puts itself in the most singular att.i.tudes, and makes the most ridiculous grimaces. At other times it seems to have a melancholy disposition. In spring the male often cries in a full tone, _gui, gui, gui, gui_, to call its female.

M. de Schauroth informs me that two wrynecks which he reared became so tame, that they would hang about his clothes, and begin to warble as soon as they heard him, or saw him even at a distance. One day, being wearied and teazed with its incessant cries, he drove one out of the window; but having called it towards evening, it immediately replied to his voice, and permitted itself to be taken. One of these birds, which he let range about at will, having perched on a neighbouring tree, he had only to hold out and show it the box containing its food, and it returned immediately.

THE TOURAKO.

Cuculus Persa, LINNaeUS; Le Tourako, BUFFON; Der Turako, BECHSTEIN.

This Bird, which is about the size of a magpie, has been placed among the cuckoos by Linnaeus, and those who have copied him, only because its cry is _couc, couc_; for in no other respect does it belong to this genus. Its beak is short and thick, and resembles that of the pigeon in shape; the upper is bent over the lower, and of a reddish brown; the nostrils are covered with feathers; the iris is nut-brown; the eyelids are edged with small red warts; the opening of the throat is wide, extending to the back of the ears; the nails of an ash grey; the head, throat, neck, top of the back, with the upper wing-coverts, the breast, upper part of the belly and sides, are covered with soft silky feathers, of a beautiful deep green; the feathers on the top of the head gradually lengthen into a large triangular tuft, which the bird raises at will, and the tip of which is red. The green in the tuft is sometimes mixed with white.

OBSERVATIONS.--The Tourako, which I have seen, belonging to his Highness the Duke of Saxe Meiningen, is one of the most elegant, mildest, and tamest of all foreign birds which I know. Its cry is _couc, couc, couc_, at first repeated slowly and distinctly, afterwards more quickly, and then in a rapid and continued succession. Notwithstanding the form of its feet it does not climb or hop, but runs as quickly as any partridge across the room, and often, pressing its wings against its body, makes several long leaps of ten feet.

FOOD.--The tongue is not perceptible on opening its beak, and it swallows every thing whole which is given it. It is fed on fruit and bread cut in small pieces; it has been remarked that it has a crop.

Buffon says, that one of these birds, which came from the Cape, ate rice; but that which I have seen would not touch it; on the contrary, it ate with avidity the stones of grapes, as well as bits of apple and orange; so that it may be concluded that fruit is its natural food. It is brought from Guinea, but may be found in other parts of Africa.

THE COMMON KINGFISHER.

Alcedo Ispida, LINNaeUS; L'Alcyon, ou Martin Pecheur, BUFFON; Der Eisvogel, BECHSTEIN.

The length of this bird is seven inches, of which the short tail only measures one and a quarter, the legs are very short, being only four lines in height, and the outer claw is united to the centre one, as far as the first joint. The beak, an inch and a half in length, is strong, straight and pointed. The iris is dark brown; the top of the head and the wing-coverts are of a deep green; the one with transverse and the other with oval spots of a beautiful sky blue. The back and shoulders shine with the most beautiful blue. In the female the colours are darker, and the sky blue there is in them only meadow green.

HABITATION.--When wild this is a solitary bird, which remains the whole year on the edges of ponds, streams, and rivers. During the winter it may be seen watching for its prey at the holes in the ice, placed on a stone or stick, or perched on the branch of a tree.

In the house it does not walk or hop, but flies or remains perched.

It is very necessary to put some turf or branches in a corner, or it must be kept in a cage with a perch; it constantly remains in the same place.