Bird feeding tube made of bamboo. The owner would pour seeds into the tube and then could empty it into the feeders inside the bird cage by inserting the tube between the bars of the cage. The advantage was that the bird cage could remain locked thereby preventing the birds from escaping. The tube has been decorated with a hot poker to show very cute depictions of the ‘Eight Immortals’ and the twelve animals of the ‘Chinese zodiac’. It dates from the Qing period (1644 – 1912) and was found in Hong Kong in 1994. Length 24.8 cm. Diameter 1.85 cm.