Bird in your Hand, you muft open his Bill with a Stick made thin at one End, and give him three, four, or five Pieces, according as he takes them, as big as Peas; then fet him fome Meat mingled with Store of Ants, that when he goes to pick up the Ants, he may eat fome of the Heart and Egg with it: At the first you may fhred three or four MealWorms in his Meat, the better to intice him, that fo he may eat fome of the Sheep's Heart by little and little, and when you perceive him to eat freely, give him the lefs Ants, &c. in his Meat, and at last, nothing but Sheep's Heart and Egg. You should take some of this Meat with you when you go to catch Nightingales, and in an Hour or two after they are taken, you must force them to eat, by opening their Mouth and craming them, taking Care that their Meat be not too dry; moisten it with sprinkling a little clean Water upon it, as you prepare it. Remember when you firft take a Bird to clear his Vent from Feathers, by pulling, or cutting them off, otherwise he will be fubject to clog and bake up his Vent, which is fudden Death. Birds that are long a feeding, and make no Curring or Sweeting for eight or ten Days, feldom prove good; but on the contrary, they give great Hopes of proving well when they take their Meat kindly, and are familiar, and not buckish, and fing quickly, and learn to eat of of themselves without much Trouble. This is a fure Token of their proving excellent Birds; when they will feed in a few Hours, or the next Day after they are taken, and fing in two or three Days; thofe never prove bad. You must tie the Wings of the Bird no longer than till he is grown tame. Of the Red-Grosbeak. Of the Virginia-Nightingale, called likewife, the Red-Bird. The Defcription and Character. T is near as big as the common SongThrush: The Bafis of his Bill is encompaffed with a Border of black Feathers reaching to the Eyes: It hath a large Head adorned with a high towering Creft, of a bright Scarlet Colour, as is alfo the whole Bird, except the Back, fome Part of the Wings and the Tail, which are of a more dirty and brownish Red. Thefe Birds are brought from Virginia, New England, and other Parts of North America, where they catch them as we do Larks in England, by fweeping away the Snow, and baiting the Place with Virginia Wheat, &c. It It hath an agreeable melodious Song, with fome Notes like the English Nightingale. The Hen is not fo beautiful as the Cock, being more brown, with a Tincture of red: These fing when in Cages, as well as the Cocks, and are brought over with them. Its Strength with its Bill is furprizing, it being able to crack the Stones of Almonds, Olives, and Indian Maiz, very expeditiously, the Kernels of which it is very fond of. In England they bring it to feed upon Hemp, or Canary-Seeds; it will eat alfo the WoodLark's, or Nightingale's Food. There are Persons with us that highly value these Birds, which makes them fometimes fell at a great Price. I have heard of those that have attempted to breed them in England, but made little of it. If your Bird should be fick, a Spider or Meal-Worm will relieve him. Of the Yellow-Hammer. The Defcription and Character. IT is equal to the Chaffinch in Bignefs: Both Cock and Hen are beautiful Birds; and the Cock will fing very prettily, when in the Fields, but is not kept very common in a Cage; yet he is no contemptible Bird; be fides |