The Natural History of Cage Birds Part 5

If a room is to be cleared of flies, one of these birds set at liberty in it will soon effect it; it catches them flying with great skill and agility. When a th.o.r.n.y branch is given it, it impales all its flies, making at the same time the drollest and most singular movements. This species easily and quickly learns to whistle airs, but it forgets them with the same facility, in order to learn new ones.

THE RAVEN.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Corvus Corax, LINNaeUS; Le Corbeau, BUFFON; Der Kolkrabe, BECHSTEIN.

This and the three following species ought not to be reckoned among house birds; but as they are easily taught to speak, and are often reared for that purpose, I must not neglect to mention them here.

The raven is well known. Its length is two feet, of which the tail measures eight inches and three quarters. The colour, which is black, in particular lights reflects a violet tint on the upper, and green on the lower part of the body, of the wings and tail. The throat is of a paler black.

Of all the birds of this genus, distinguished by having the beak in the form of a knife, and the base furnished with strong bristles which extend forward, the raven, on account of the size of its tongue, is the best fitted to articulate words; hence, in Thuringia, people are often saluted, on entering an inn, with some abusive language from one of these ravens, confined near the door, in a large cage like a tower. When it has been reared from the nest (which must be done in order to teach it to speak) it may be left at liberty; it will come when called by name to receive its food. Everything which shines must be put out of its way, particularly gold and silver, as it does not fail to carry it off, like the other birds of its kind. One, which was brought before Augustus, had been taught to repeat, _Ave Caesar, victor, imperator_, in order to salute him on his return from victory.

Some people are accustomed to cut what is called the nerve of the tongue, supposing that it would make them better able to articulate sounds; but it seems most probable that this cruel practice is of little use, and, like many others, only a vulgar prejudice, for I have heard ravens speak perfectly well without having the tongue touched.

This bird was very much prized at a time when divination made a part of religion. Its most minute actions, all the motions of its flight, and the different sounds of its voice, were carefully studied; in the latter, people pretending to discover even sixty-four different modulations, besides many shades still more delicate and difficult to determine. This must certainly have required an excessively fine ear, as its croaking is particularly simple. Every alteration, let it be ever so slight, had its particular signification. Impostors were not wanting, who pretended to understand, or dupes who easily believed, these idle fancies. Some have carried their folly to such a pitch as to persuade themselves that by eating the heart and entrails of the raven they would acquire its gift of prophecy.

HABITATION.--This species only inhabits the wooded parts of a country; it there builds its nest on the highest trees. Its eggs, from three to five in number, are of a dirty green, streaked with olive brown.

If the young ones be taken in order to instruct them, they must be removed on the twelfth day after bursting the sh.e.l.l, when they have only half their feathers. They are fed on meat, snails, worms, and bread soaked in milk; after a little time they will eat bread, meat, and any refuse from the table. In its wild state the raven eats leverets, birds' eggs, mice, young goslings, chickens, and snails, and even pears, cherries, and other fruit; this shows us that it is rather hurtful as well as useful.

THE CARRION CROW.

Corvus corone, LINNaeUS; La Corneille, BUFFON; Die Schwarze Krahe, BECHSTEIN.

It only differs from the preceding in its size, and in the tail being rounded instead of wedge-shaped. Its whole length is eighteen inches.

Its plumage is black, with some tints of violet on the upper part of the body.

PECULIAR QUALITIES.--The carrion crow is one of the commonest birds; in the groves, which it likes best, it congregates in such numbers that twenty nests have been built on the same tree[18]; the eggs are spotted with grey or olive brown on a green ground. The young may be taken from the nest in the month of March, or even earlier if the winter be mild they are treated and fed like the former species. The carrion crow is even more easily tamed, for I have seen old ones, which have been taught to go and come, and others in their wild state, which have regularly fed in the yard going in the spring to breed in the woods, and returning at the beginning of the winter to pa.s.s that season in a domestic state. Insects, worms, mice, fruit, and grain form its princ.i.p.al food in its wild state.

MODE OF TAKING.--The easiest and most usual method is with paper cones, at the bottom of which is put a bit of meat, and bird-lime on the inner edges. It may also be caught with lime twigs placed in the yard, or before the house, on horse dung and among scattered grain.

THE HOODED CROW.

Corvus Cornix, LINNaeUS; La Corneille Mantelee, BUFFON; Die Nebelkrahe, BECHSTEIN.

This species, a little larger than the preceding, is grey, with the head, throat, wings, and tail black. In the winter it is found over almost all Europe, but during summer it inhabits more northern parts, where it builds in groves and orchards near open fields: its eggs are bright green streaked and spotted with brown.

If taken young it is tamed and taught to speak more easily than the carrion crow.

THE JACK-DAW.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Corvus Monedula, LINNaeUS; Le Chocas, BUFFON; Die Dohle, BECHSTEIN.

This bird is naturally half tame, and if reared from the nest it will voluntarily remain in the yard with the poultry. It makes its nest in old buildings, houses, castles, towers, and churches: its eggs are green, spotted with dark brown and black. It is not so much to teach it to speak that people like to rear young jack-daws, but to see it go and return at call. Even old ones that are taken in autumn may be accustomed to this, cutting the wings at first, and again in the spring, so that as they grow again the bird learns by degrees to come to a certain call.

During winter it will always come into the yard. The size of the jack-daw is that of the pigeon, thirteen or fourteen inches in length.

The back of the head is light grey, the rest of the body black. When in winter it eats wild garlic, in the fields it smells very strongly of it, and does not lose the scent till it has been a week in the house.

THE JAY.

Corvus glandarius, LINNaeUS; Le Geai, BUFFON; Der Holzeher, BECHSTEIN.

I have often, during my youth, seen this beautiful species of bird among the peasants of Thuringia confined in cages, and taught to speak. It is about the size of the preceding bird. Its black beak is in shape like that of the carrion crow. The feet are brown, with a slight shade of flesh colour. All the smaller feathers are soft and silky. A purple grey is the most predominant colour; the throat is whitish, the eyes are reddish blue, the rump white; the large coverts have the outer side of the feathers ornamented with small but very brilliant bands, alternately bluish white, light blue, and bluish black, which softly blend one into the other, like the colours in the rainbow, and are a great ornament to the bird.

The only difference in the female is that the upper part of the neck is grey, whereas in the male it is much redder, and that colour also extends to the back.

HABITATION.--When wild, the jay frequents woods; above all, those in which there are firs mixed with other trees.

In the house it must be kept in a large cage in the form of a tower, or in any other shape; it is too dirty a bird to be let range at liberty.

FOOD.--In its wild state it prefers worms, insects, and berries, when acorns and beech-mast fail: it makes great havoc among cherries.

In the cage, it soon becomes accustomed to bread soaked in milk, but it will eat almost any thing, bread, soft cheese, baked meat, and all that comes from table; acorns and beech-mast however are its favourite food. It must be kept very clean, otherwise its soiled and dirty plumage would make it look to great disadvantage. It is better to feed it entirely on corn; it becomes by this means less dirty, and its excrements are not so soft or foetid. It may be preserved for several years on this food. It must always have fresh water given it, as much for drinking as for bathing.

BREEDING.--The jay builds in beech-trees, oaks, and firs. Its eggs are grey spotted with brown. The young which are to be taught to speak must be taken from the nest after the fourteenth or fifteenth day, and fed on soft cheese, bread, and meat: it is easily taught and domesticated. Those which are caught when old cannot be tamed; they are always frightened when any one approaches them, hiding and fasting for several hours afterwards rather then reappear.

MODE OF TAKING.--Should anyone wish to catch these birds, he must seek in autumn for a lonely tree, about five or six paces from the other trees of the wood, which the birds frequent most; on it lime twigs must be placed. In order to effect this, most of the branches are cut off in such a manner as to form a kind of spiral staircase, commencing about ten or twelve feet from the ground, and extending to within six of the top. After having shortened and reduced the branches to five or six spans in length, the lime-twigs are fixed to them; under the tree must be placed a hut, made of green branches, large enough to contain as many persons as wish to conceal themselves; on the top of this hut is placed a live owl, or one made of clay; even the skin of a hare arranged so that it may be moved, will suffice. Nothing is now wanting to attract the jays but a bird-call, which is made of a little stick with a notch cut in it and a little piece of the bark of the cherry-tree inserted, another bit serving for a cover. On this instrument the voice of the owl, the great enemy of the jays, may easily be imitated; and as soon as they hear it they come from all sides, while their cries must be repeated by the people in the hut, which makes them a.s.semble in still greater numbers. They are soon entangled in the bird-lime, and fall pell mell into the hut, their weight easily dragging them through the slight covering. Many other birds also collect on hearing the deceitful call, and, wishing to a.s.sist their brethren, are themselves entrapped. Thus, in a few hours many jays and a great number of other birds may be caught, such as magpies, thrushes, woodp.e.c.k.e.rs, red-b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and t.i.ts. Twilight is the best time for this sport.

In the month of July jays may also be taken in the _water-trap_, where young ones, with their tails only half grown, are most frequently caught; these may yet be taught and tamed.

ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--Although it is easy to teach the jay to speak, it will in general only repeat single words; but it imitates pa.s.sably well little airs on the trumpet and other short tunes. Its beautiful colours are a great attraction. It may also be taught to go and come, if in the country: but in the city it is not so easily taught this as crows and ravens.

THE NUT-CRACKER.

Corvus Caryocatactes, LINNaeUS; Le Ca.s.se-noix, BUFFON; Der Tannenbeher, BECHSTEIN.

Its length is twelve inches, of which the tail measures four and three quarters; the wings, when folded, reach the middle. The beak and feet are black; the iris is reddish brown. Though speckled like the starling, its general colour is blackish brown, lighter above, and darker underneath the body. The tail feathers are black, but white at the tip.

The general colour of the female is a redder brown than that of the male.

HABITATION.--In its wild state it inhabits, during summer, the depth of woods, near which there are meadows and springs, and it does not quit this retreat till autumn, when it frequents those places where it can find acorns, beech-mast, and nuts. During hard winters it may sometimes be seen on the high road, seeking its food amongst the horse-dung.

In the house it is kept like a jay.

FOOD.--In its wild state, having a very strong beak, it can open the cones of the pine and fir, peel the acorns and beech-mast, and break the nut-sh.e.l.ls. It also eats different sorts of berries, but prefers animal food and insects, in short, any thing it can get.

In confinement it must be fed like the jay; but it is more easily tamed, and accustomed to use different words. It is so fond of animal food, that if a live jay were thrown into its cage it would kill it and eat it in a quarter of an hour; it will even eat whole squirrels which have been shot, and which other small birds of prey fly from with disgust.

BREEDING.--Its nest, placed in a hollow tree, generally contains five or six eggs, with transverse brown streaks scattered on a dark olive grey ground. The young are reared on meat.

MODE OF TAKING.--It may be taken in autumn by a noose, hanging service berries to it; success is more sure if some nuts be put near. It may also be taken in the _water-trap_.