The Natural History of Cage Birds Part 6

ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--Its actions are as amusing as those of a shrike; it imitates the voice of many animals, and chatters as much as the jay. To judge from the form of its tongue, it seems possible to teach it to speak, if attempted when young.

THE MAGPIE.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Corvus Pica, LINNaeUS; La Pie, BUFFON; Die Elster, BECHSTEIN.

As the magpie generally frequents places near the abode of man, it is well known. It is eighteen inches in length, of which the tail alone measures ten. It may be called a handsome bird, although its plumage is only black and white, for these colours are perfect in their kind, and the tail, near the end, shines with a purple tint, gradually shading into steel blue.

HABITATION.--The magpie builds its nest on trees which are near towns and villages; its eggs are pale green, speckled with grey and brown.

In autumn the young ones a.s.semble together in small parties.

FOOD.--When wild, the magpie lives on worms, insects, fruits, or roots, and sometimes eats eggs and young birds in their nest.

In the house, it likes bread, meat, and anything that comes from table; in short, when once tamed it does not fail to enter by the window at meal times to take its share. If it obtain too much, it hides what it does not eat for another time. This propensity is seen in young ones as soon as they can feed alone.

PECULIAR QUALITIES.--Although in its wild state the magpie is so suspicious that it is difficult to catch it, it is, however, more easily tamed than any other bird; it will let itself be touched and taken in the hand, which even the most docile of other birds will seldom suffer. When reared from the nest it learns to speak even better than the raven, and becomes as domestic as the pigeon. It gets so fond of raw meat, bread, and other refuse of the table, that it does not wish any other food; this is the cause of its frequenting dwelling-houses: if it find any worms or insects it only eats them as dainties.

The time of taking magpies in order to bring them to this point is fourteen or fifteen days after coming out of the sh.e.l.l: this is the princ.i.p.al thing to remember with respect to any bird which is to be taught to go and come. It must be given at first bread soaked in milk or water; by degrees a little chopped meat is added, afterwards it will eat anything from the kitchen, even apples and baked pears, and any refuse. As soon as the young birds begin to fly high enough to rise to a neighbouring tree they may be let do so when they have had a good meal, soon calling them back again to the place fixed for their habitation; this practice may be repeated till they have all their feathers, and can fly well, when some of their wing-feathers must be cut, till the winter, a season in which they may be pulled out. Whilst the feathers are growing again, they become so well accustomed to the house and their master that they may be let go for several hours together without any danger of their wandering or not returning. If they speak they will only be the more agreeable.

Old magpies, which may easily be taken in winter with lime-twigs placed near some bits of meat, can be taught to remain in the yard by keeping the wings cut till the following autumn, when they may be let grow; from this time there is no fear of their not coming with the poultry, and in spring they will not fail to build near the house, and seek food for their young in the kitchen. I must repeat again that nothing shining must be left in the way of these birds, as they will carry it off immediately, and hide it with great care, let them have as much food as they like besides.

I have lately received a letter from one of my friends, in which he expresses himself thus:--"I have reared a magpie which comes like a cat to rub itself against me until I caress it. It has learnt of itself to fly into the country and return. It follows me everywhere, even for more than a league, so that I have much trouble to rid myself of it, and when I do not wish its company in my walks and visits I am obliged to shut it up: though wild with any other person, it marks in my eyes the least change in my temper. It will sometimes fly to a great distance with other magpies, without however connecting itself with them."

THE ROLLER.

Coracias Garrula, LINNaeUS; Le Rollier d'Europe, BUFFON; Die Mandelkrahe, BECHSTEIN.

This bird resembles the jay in size and form, and is twelve inches in length, of which the tail measures four and a half; the beak is blackish, before and behind the eyes is a blackish triangular spot, formed by the naked skin; the iris of the eye is grey; the whole of the head, the neck, the throat, the breast, the belly, the large wing-coverts, and all the under-coverts, are of a beautiful bluish green; the tail is of a dusky blue green near the base, becoming gradually lighter towards the end.

The female and young ones of the first year have the head, neck, breast, and belly of a reddish grey tinged with bluish green; the back and the last quill-feathers are of a light greyish brown; the rump is green, tinged with indigo; the tail blackish with a tint of blue green; the rest like the male.

HABITATION.--In its wild state the roller may be found in Europe and the northern parts of Africa; it only frequents a few spots in Germany, and prefers forests and sandy plains to high mountains: elsewhere it is only seen during the time of its pa.s.sage[19].

In the house it may be let range at will after the wings are clipt.

FOOD.--When wild, its princ.i.p.al food is insects and worms; it also eats small frogs, bulbous roots, acorns, and grains of corn.

BREEDING.---The nest, placed in the hole of a tree, is made of small twigs, hay, feathers, and bristles. It lays from four to seven white eggs, on which the male takes his turn to sit during eighteen or twenty days. The young ones do not acquire their fine colours till the second year; previous to this period the head, neck, and breast are of a whitish grey.

I had till lately thought that this bird was untamable; but Dr. Meyer of Offenbach has convinced me to the contrary, having himself reared them several times, and kept them in his room. This is his method:

The young ones must be taken from the nest when only half grown, and fed on little bits of cow's heart, or any other meat which is lean and tender, till they can eat alone; small frogs, worms, and insects may then be added. The means which it takes to kill and swallow these insects are curious enough; it begins by seizing and crushing them with its beak, and then throws them into the air several times, in order to receive them in its throat, which is very capacious. When the piece is too large, or the insect still alive, it strikes it hard against the ground, and begins again to throw it in the air, till falling not across, but so as to thread the throat, it may be easily swallowed.

After having been fed thus long enough, a little barley-meal may be mixed with the meat. I have even brought it to eat bread, vegetables, and softened oatmeal, but it always prefers cow's heart. I have never seen it drink.

It knows the person who takes care of it, comes at his call to eat from his hands, without however letting itself be caught: but it never becomes quite tame, and often defends itself with its beak. It makes very few movements unless to seek its food, and generally remains quite still in the same place. If it ever hops about the room it is in an awkward and cramped manner, on account of its short feet; on the other hand, it flies very well; but it must not be left completely at liberty in the room, or quite shut up in the cage, because it is so easily startled, and in its fright gives itself such violent blows on the head as would soon kill it. The best way is to clip one wing, and then let it range the room. These birds quarrel with one another, particularly in the evening, for their places on the perch. I have kept them for some time in a large aviary with small and great birds, and once with my pigeons which I kept shut up; generally I have them in my room, where they mix with several other birds: but whether alone or with companions they appeared equally healthy and active.

ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--They have few other attractions besides their beautiful plumage, for their voice is only a harsh croaking "_crag, crag, craag_[20]."

THE GOLDEN ORIOLE.

Oriolus Galbula, LINNaeUS; Le Loriot, BUFFON; Der Pirol, BECHSTEIN.

This species, the male of which is very beautiful, is about the size of a blackbird. Its length is nine inches, of which the tail measures three and a half, and the beak one. The head, neck, back, breast, sides, and lesser wing-coverts, are of a brilliant golden yellow; the wings and the tail are black, with yellow gradually increasing to the outer feathers.

The female is not so brilliant, the golden yellow is only visible at the tip of the olive feathers in the tail, and in the lesser and under wing-coverts. All the upper part of the body is of the green colour of the siskin, the lower part greenish white with brown streaks, and the wings grey black.

HABITATION.--When wild, it generally frequents lonely groves, or the skirts of forests, always keeping among the most bushy trees, so that it is rarely seen on a naked branch; it always frequents orchards during the time of cherries. It is a bird of pa.s.sage, departing in families in August, and not returning till the following May[21].

In the house, if it cannot be let range at pleasure, it must be confined in a large wire cage.

FOOD.--When wild, its food is insects and berries. In confinement, and if an old one be caught by means of the owl, like the jays, it must be kept at first in a quiet and retired place, offering it fresh cherries, then adding by degrees ants' eggs, and white bread soaked in milk, or the nightingale's food. But I confess there is great difficulty in keeping it alive, for with every attention and the greatest care, I do not know a single instance of one of this species having been preserved for more than three or four months.

[Ill.u.s.tration: NEST OF THE GOLDEN ORIOLE.]

BREEDING.--The scarcity of the golden oriole arises from its breeding but once a year. Its nest, hung with great art in the fork of a small bushy branch, is in shape like a purse, or a basket with two handles.

The female lays four or five white eggs, marked with a few black streaks and spots. Before the first moulting, the young ones are like their mother, and mew like cats. If any one wishes to rear them they must be taken early from the nest; fed on ants' eggs, chopped meat and white bread soaked in milk, varying these things as their health requires, and as their excrements are too frequent or too soft. In short, they may be accustomed to the nightingale's food. I must here remark that a very attentive person alone can hope to succeed[22].

ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--I have seen two golden orioles that were reared from the nest, one of which, independent of the natural song, whistled a minuet, and the other imitated a flourish of trumpets. Its full and flute-like tones appeared to me extremely pleasing.

Unfortunately the fine colours of its plumage were tarnished, which almost always happens, above all if the bird be kept in a room filled with smoke, either from the stove or from tobacco. One of my neighbours saw two golden orioles at Berlin, both of which whistled different airs.

Its note of call, which in the month of June so well distinguishes the golden oriole from other birds, may be well expressed by "ye, puhlo[23]."

THE HOOPOE.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Upupa Epops, LINNaeUS; La Huppe, BUFFON; Der gemeine Wiedehopf, BECHSTEIN.

The length of this bird is twelve inches, of which the tail measures four, and the bill, which is black, two and a half.

The iris is blackish brown. The feet are black and very short. There is a tuft on the head like a fan, formed of a double row of feathers, all of them tipped with black.

HABITATION.--In its wild state, the hoopoe remains, during summer, in woods near meadows, and pasture land. In the month of August, after hay-harvest, it goes in flocks into the plains; it departs in September, and does not return till the end of the following April.

It is more frequently seen on the ground than perching[24].

In the house, it is not kept in a cage, but let range at will; it is very chilly, at least it is so fond of warmth that it is constantly on the stove, and would rather let its beak be dried up than come away from it.

FOOD.--When wild, it may be continually seen in fields, searching for its favourite insects among cow dung and the excrements of other animals. Some people put it into their granaries to clear them of weevils and spiders; this has succeeded very well, but to say that it also eats mice, is certainly an error.

In the house, it may be easily reared on meat, and white bread soaked in milk, to which meal worms must be added from time to time.

BREEDING.--The hoopoe lays from two to four eggs; its nest, placed in the hole of some tree, is a mixture of cow dung and small roots. The young are easily reared on the flesh of young pigeons; but they cannot pick it up well, because their tongue, about the size of half a bean, and heart-shaped, is too short to turn the food into the throat. They are obliged to throw their food in the air, holding the beak open to receive it.