The Natural History of Cage Birds Part 43

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE STORK.]

WADING BIRDS.

The birds of this order are more or less bare above the knees; their legs are so long, that they have the appearance of standing on stilts.

They may be tamed at any age, but this is best done when they are young.

I shall only give here the following species.

THE WHITE STORK.

Ciconia alba, LINNaeUS; La Cicogne blanche, BUFFON; Der Weisse Storch, BECHSTEIN.

The stork may be considered as half domestic, since it constantly builds on the tops of houses, on churches or towers in the midst of villages, and even towns[124]. Its beak is long and powerful, of a blood red colour, as are its legs and feet. It has a naked black ring round its eyes; the wings are black; the rest of the plumage white.

OBSERVATIONS.--It is a bird of pa.s.sage, which quits Europe the end of September, and returns in April. It feeds on fish, amphibious animals, field-mice, moles, and even weasels, which it catches coming out of their holes. It also eats insects, especially bees, which it catches by the beakfull on flowers. Its nest is only a heap of dry sticks woven together, and it occupies the same nest every year, after repairing it a little. I have been a.s.sured, that some nests have lasted a hundred years; and the circ.u.mference often becomes covered with sparrows and swallows' nests. The male and female never separate, and are a true model of conjugal fidelity. If the young ones are taken from the nest, and fed on frogs and meat, they may be rendered so tame that they will go a league from the house, and return again regularly. At the time of their flight, in September, the wings of those that are to be kept through the winter should be clipped, and they should be kept in a temperate place, as their feet are very sensible to cold. They become so familiar that they will enter the room during meals, to be fed on meat from the table. A clapping with their beak expresses either anger or affection. It is very pleasing to see a tame stork circling round the house, and descending insensibly in a long spiral line till it reaches the ground.

THE BLACK STORK.

Ardea nigra, LINNaeUS; Der schwarze Storch, BECHSTEIN.

This species is nearly as large as the white stork, and is of the same form, but its limbs are weaker and more delicate. Its colour is a glossy brownish black, with the breast and belly white. It frequents woods in the neighbourhood of marshes, lakes, and large ponds, and makes its nest on the trees. Its habits and manner of feeding are similar to those of the white stork. In rearing the young ones, they may be accustomed to remain in the house, and will soon become familiar.

THE WOODc.o.c.k.

Scolopax rusticola, LINNaeUS; La Beca.s.se, BUFFON; Die Waldschnepfe, BECHSTEIN.

The woodc.o.c.k is found in every part of Europe where there are forests.

The beak is three or four inches in length, straight, and reddish at the base; the back of the head is crossed with dusky bands; the upper part of the body and wings are rust brown, streaked with grey and black; the breast and belly are dusky white, with dark brown lines.

OBSERVATIONS.--The woodc.o.c.k builds its nest on the ground in mountainous districts; lays three or four dusky pale yellow eggs, and feeds on worms, snails, and the grubs of insects, which it seeks in meadows, marshes, and fields. In October it quits the high lands for more temperate parts; this migration is called its _pa.s.sage_, and as these birds constantly follow the same route, this is the time when fowlers, scattered in its destined path, prepare for a chase, either with guns or large nets made for the purpose, and await the moment when these birds quit the meadows for the woods, or the woods for the meadows. The flight of woodc.o.c.ks is slow and awkward, but they are very fine game, the flesh being wholesome and of an excellent flavour; they are generally cooked without taking out the intestines.

In the house, by beginning with insects and ants' eggs, the woodc.o.c.k may be accustomed by degrees to the universal paste. Twenty years ago I saw, in an aviary at Carlsruhe, a tame woodc.o.c.k that would come from his cage and show himself to strangers; it was a male, and appeared very willing to pair, if it could have found a mate.

THE COMMON SNIPE.

Scolopax Gallinago, LINNaeUS; La Beca.s.sine, BUFFON; Die Heerschnepfe, BECHSTEIN.

This Snipe is nearly the size of the quail, and inhabits the northern countries of Europe, Asia, and America, migrating in autumn to more temperate parts. Its rough beak is black in the front; its feet are brown; the head is divided longitudinally by two reddish brown lines; the back is dark brown, with streaks across; the throat is white; the neck is brown, speckled with brick red; the belly is white; the vent is striped with black; the quill-feathers are dark brown, tipped with white; the tail-feathers are black from the base, tipped with orange, and having two dark brown streaks.

OBSERVATIONS.--The snipe darts through the air at a great height, and descends like an arrow, continually uttering the cry "_maicherai_."

It is found in marshy places, abounding with bushes and brambles; in a hole in the ground, washed by the water, it lays four or five dusky olive-coloured eggs, streaked with brown. Its common food is worms, and the grubs of insects, but it will eat corn, and the tender roots of marsh plants. Every one knows that it is delicate eating; but many are ignorant that it may be tamed, and that it is then a very pleasing bird.

THE LAPWING.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Tringa Vanellus, LINNaeUS; Le Vanneu, BUFFON; Der gemeine Kiebetz, BECHSTEIN.

This bird is well known throughout Europe wherever there are water meadows. It is greenish on the back and wings; black on the breast; and has red feet, and a handsome crest.

OBSERVATIONS.--It feeds on all sorts of insects, small snails, worms, and even plants. The young ones are easily tamed. They are first fed on ants' eggs, and then gradually accustomed to bread, and even bran mixed with milk. The eggs may be placed under pigeons, but care is necessary when they are hatched, as they run the moment they leave the sh.e.l.l. The old birds may be kept in the garden if the wings are clipped, where they destroy the insects and worms; but they must be brought into the house in the winter, and fed at first on bullocks'

heart cut in the form of worms, then with less care, till by degrees they become accustomed to other meat, and even to bread. As these birds are much esteemed game, snares are laid for them in places they frequent in large flocks. They are either taken in nets, throwing worms as baits, or with nooses made of horse hair, and set in the paths they trace in the rushes, or, which is cruel and destructive, in the neighbourhood of their nests.

THE RUFF.

Tringa pugnax, LINNaeUS; Le Combattant, ou Paon de Mer, BUFFON; Die Kampfhahn, BECHSTEIN.

The ruff is about the size of the lapwing, and is found in the north of Europe, near lakes, ponds, and extensive marshes. It is almost the only wild bird whose plumage varies like our domesticated ones, ash-grey, brown, black, and white, being combined in a thousand different ways, so that it is rare to meet with two birds alike. The following are the characteristics of the species:--1st, a kind of ruff or collar, formed of long feathers hanging around the neck, which are raised when the bird is angry, and stand out on all sides; 2nd, the face red, and covered with pimples; the beak and feet also red.

The colours of the females are more uniform:--pale brown, the back streaked with black, the breast and belly white, and the neck plain without the ruff.

It feeds on insects, worms, and roots, and makes its nest in a tuft of gra.s.s or rushes. The females are tolerably good for the table, but the male must be fattened before it is eatable. The irritable and quarrelsome disposition of these birds is astonishing. When two males meet they are often so enraged with each other that a net may be pa.s.sed over them without their perceiving it. If several are placed in the same cage, they will kill one another. The young ones may easily be reared; but it is extraordinary, that in the house, their inclination to fight abandons them; whilst most other birds, pacific in a state of freedom, are continually quarrelling and pecking one another when confined. It is customary in the duchy of Bremen to put these birds into enclosed gardens to destroy worms and other insects, but they retire into the house for the winter; and here the old ones still quarrel both for food and the place they wish to lie down in. They are fed on bread soaked in milk, and meat.

THE PURR.

Tringa Cinclus, LINNaeUS; L'Alouette de Mer, BUFFON; Der Meerlerche, BECHSTEIN.

This is a marsh bird, about the size of the redwing, and is very common on the banks of rivers, lakes, and large ponds. When it rises in the air it cries continually "_tzi, tzi, tzi, tzi_." Its beak is black, and its feet dark brownish green; the feathers on the upper part of the body are grey, glossy, and silky, with blackish bands notched on the sides, and bordered on the outer edge with rust red; a whitish streak pa.s.ses above the eyes, whilst a narrow dark brown line crosses them; the under part of the body is pure white, but the breast is striped with dark brown; the quill-feathers are black, the anterior having a broad white streak on the inner web, the others having the same on the outer web; the greater coverts are tipped with white, which form two spots on the wings; the three middle feathers of the tail are grey brown with black bands; the others are white, with dark brown bands.

The female is rather larger, and her plumage is paler.

OBSERVATIONS.--It is easy to obtain this bird, which has many attractions for the amateur. It runs quickly, continually shaking the back part of its body, and repeating, particularly towards evening, its loud and tender call, "_hidutzt_."

When wild it eats insects and worms, found near the water. In the house it will soon eat the universal paste, if a few meal-worms and ants' eggs are at first thrown amongst it. If there are other birds in the same room, the water vessel should be removed from the food, or another vessel devoted to it, for not being able to swallow what is not soft, it carries all its food to the water to soak, and thus renders it dirty. It catches insects very dexterously; it advances slowly like a cat, its head bent down, and then darts forward swiftly and slyly. I admire their habits so much that I have one generally in my house. I have observed that all the species of snipes have the habit of turning over any stones they meet with, to look for insects under. It is very easy to take the purr as soon as the stakes, sticks, and other places where they most commonly alight, are known; it is only to put bird-lime on them and drive the birds gently towards the part. This and the corn crake are the only two marsh birds that should properly be reckoned among house-birds.

THE MOOR HEN.

Fulica enloropus, LINNaeUS; La Poule d'Eau, BUFFON; Die grunfussiges Meehuhn, BECHSTEIN.

The length of this species is ten or twelve inches. The beak is greenish at the tip, red towards the base; the naked s.p.a.ces above the knees are of the same colour; the feet are olive green; the claws are very long; the head, the upper part of the neck, the body, and the wing-coverts are dark olive green; the anterior quill-feathers and the tail are dark brown; the breast and belly are ash-grey; the vent and edges of the wings are white.

In the female the beak is olive brown towards the base, instead of red.

OBSERVATIONS.--Though not web-footed, this species swims as well as those birds that are, and has this advantage over them, that it can rest on trees and bushes by the water side, like land birds, and can also run when inclined. Its nest is placed among bushes that are in the water, or on reeds, and is built of water plants, especially reeds well interwoven; it is so firmly fastened, that if the water rises it floats, but is not carried away; the eggs are often surrounded with water. It feeds on insects, seeds, and aquatic plants. It is easily tamed, particularly when taken young; it likes white bread soaked in milk. I often have these birds in my poultry-yard among my fowls; they go to a neighbouring pond, and regularly return after a short time. I never took any trouble to tame them; they always kept near the water, by the dunghill, seeking after insects and grubs.

THE CORN CRAKE.

[Ill.u.s.tration]