Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/210

couple labor that they build the greater part of their house in a single day.

The author has never attempted to rear the summer yellowbird, nor has he ever seen one in confinement; but there is no reason why this beautiful warbler should not make as good a cage-bird as any other feathered songster. You may feed the young upon the soft parts of grasshoppers and soft grubs. This much can be learned by watching the parent birds attending to the wants of their tiny offspring.

is a noisy, showy bird of brilliant plumage, with a pretty crest upon its head; the bill is black; the back and wings different shades of blue, with black stripes; throat, cheeks, and breast light gray; a black ring around his neck extends like a collar down to his chest.

Although the jay is no musician he is an excellent mimic, and can be taught to crow like a cock, bark like a dog, and to whistle a tune; he is a large, handsome bird, and looks well in a cage. The only young one the writer ever had was one that had just left its nest. It was caught in an orchard, and thrived upon grubs and worms of all sorts. Either the food described for the robin or the catbird ought to answer also for the bluejay; an occasional spoonful of raw egg is relished by a young jay.

Want of space will prevent the enumeration of all the feathered creatures that make their home in our forests and orchards; but this chapter will be incomplete if it contains no mention of that most lovely of all American birds, the little feathered mite called a

Even if captured when full grown, this delicate little creature can be tamed in a remarkably short time.