LESSON XXXVIII.
THE BIRDS IN THE HOUSE.
As so many of you have cage birds, I think you will like to hear a little about the kinds of birds that most often live in cages. I will tell you of onlythe two most common kinds of pet birds,—the canary and the parrot.
As the parrot is the larger bird and of more ancient fame, we will speak of him first. Parrots have been favorite cage birds for many hundred years. They are notable for size, splendor of plumage, docility, long life, and power of learning to speak.
Like the woodpecker, the parrot belongs to the division of climbing birds. The feet of climbing birds have two toes turned forward, and two turned backward.
The parrot family is a group of large and splendid birds. You will know even the smaller members of it by their bills. The bills are high and thick, and have the upper part much curved and longer than the under part. This bill is useful in aiding the birds in climbing, and in holding fast to the branches of trees. It is just the right kind of bill for eating fruit, which forms the chief food of the parrot in its wild state.
The tongue of the parrot is short, thick, and fleshy. The wings and tail are long. The plumage is gay.
To the parrot family belong the parrakeets, cockatoos, macaws, and lories. These are all birds of hot countries.
Nothing can exceed the splendor of the plumage ofthese birds. Red, lemon, green, scarlet, blue, white, and a mixture of these colors, will be found upon them. Many of them have brilliant crests, and many of them long gay tail feathers.
The head and bill of the parrot are large. While their bill tells us what kind of food they live on, and their feet show that they can climb, their long strong wings show that they are birds of flight.
Parrots are social birds. They live in large flocks. They make their nests in hollow trees, as woodpeckers do. In their native homes they are much like woodpeckers in some of their ways. But they eat fruit, not insects.
The natural voice of the parrot is a loud, harsh call. Parrots can learn to speak only when they are carefully taught. Not every kind of parrot can learn even when taught. The common short-tailed, red and green parrot makes the best talker. Some of them are very amusing.
Parrots are usually of a kind, gentle disposition, easily tamed, and learn to live very happily in a cage. When captive they eat sugar, crackers, and almost any little dainty that is offered to them. They are fond of water, and bathe often.
The very long-tailed parrots called macaws, and parrakeets, are birds of Central and Southern America.In India there are also very long-tailed parrots. In old times they were sent as presents to kings and queens. The parrakeets of Asia and Africa are called ring parrakeets, because each one has a collar of bright feathers about the neck. The two parrots called “the gray,” and “the festive,” or “jolly” parrot, are the most common as pets, are most amusing, and learn many words and tricks.
What are called “love birds” are very small and beautiful parrots, from North Africa. They are as small as bluebirds. They are the smallest of their race, and rather rare.
The cockatoos are kept in cages, not for their speech, as they do not learn to talk, but for their great beauty. You will know them by their high crests. They have their name from their note, or call. They are natives of tropic islands. Most of them have light-colored feathers, pink, lemon or white, with markings of brighter tints.
If you live where you can visit a large bird-store, you will do well to go to see some of these birds.
Let us now turn to that other house bird, and common pet, the canary.
This little bird has its name from some islands on the coast of Africa, which are its native home. It isabout three hundred years since these birds began to be reared and sold for cage birds.
Canaries are very small birds, of a delicate yellow color, graceful shape, bright and lively ways, and sweet song.
In their native woods they have not the clear yellow color which they now wear. They are of an olive green with spots of black and yellow. The yellow color has become common to the cage birds.
Canaries are intelligent, affectionate little birds. They can be taught to whistle tunes, if you train them with care and patience. If given plenty of water, clean cages, plenty of light, and good fresh seed, they will be healthy and live a long time.
You should give them a lump of sugar for a treat, some chick-weed for fresh food, a bit of cuttle-fish bone to sharpen their beak upon. You must also be careful to keep them out of a draught.
These birds of hot lands, reared in cages, would die if we let them fly out of the cage. So, if we treat them well, it does not seem cruel to keep them in their little wire palaces.
For my part, I prefer to see birds flying, feeding, and singing in the woods and fields, which are their natural home.