94 



EECEEATIVE SCIENCE. 



warned our winged summer visitors, that it 

 is time to take tlieir departure. Many — alas ! 

 too many, are gone. A few only remain ; to 

 collect their younger families together, and 

 sing us a sweet parting song. All will then 

 vanish to sunnier skies, leaving this happy 

 thought behind them — "We shall meet 

 again." May it be so! April will soon 

 conie round again ; and the sooner the better 

 for us. 



We will now turn to those of our little 

 indigenous friends, who, being part and 

 parcel of our " happy families," claim a just 

 right to share in the hospitalities of our fes- 

 tive board. Be it our pleasing duty to make 

 them as happy and as comfortable as pos- 

 sible in the absence of their companions, now 

 ** birds of passage." 



It is worthy of note, that by far the 

 greatest mortality among cage-birds takes 

 place in the autumn and winter seasons. 

 This, be it observed, is mainly owing to the 

 construction of their dwellings. People quite 

 forget that birds, like themselves, require 

 exercise to create and maintain warmth. This 

 they cannot get in the small prisons usually 

 allotted to them. Look at the cages in 

 general use, particularly the circular ones. 

 They are anything but spacious, open at every 

 point to the passing wind, and perfectly mur- 

 derous, (at this season) as regards their in- 

 mates. This description of cage should 

 therefore be banished at once. It is quite 

 unsuited — nay, dangerous — for a winter resi- 

 dence. In summer, by all means give your 

 birds as much air as possible — the more the 

 better. I speak now only of the colder 

 seasons of the year. 



The best sort of winter cage for our 

 smaller song-birds — canaries, goldfinches, lin- 

 nets, etc. — is one of an oblong shape, made 

 of mahogany, having the top, back, and sides 

 closed, and wire open in front only. These 

 cages, when French polished, look handsome, 

 and can be made of any dimensions. They 

 are by no means costly, and as they secure 



" Dicky's " health, comfort, and happiness, 

 by all means open your heart-strings. Your 

 purse-strings will open at the same time, as a 

 matter of course. 



To prevent his little majesty from being 

 dull, let the sides of his cage be made to open 

 and admit the light. This is accomplished 

 by means of a moveable slip of transparent 

 glass, made to run in a grove outside the 

 wire-work. It forms a slide, and can be made 

 a fixture or otherwise. It wiU be desirable 

 to have two wooden moveable slides (maho- 

 gany) in addition. At night they could be 

 used for warmth, instead of the glass slides. 

 I caU these my "model" cages. 



It will be seen, by what I have said, that 

 I regard warmth as essential to the welfare 

 of aU cage-birds in winter ; this as regards 

 both British and Foreign birds. Eeep them 

 in as equable a temperature as possible, and 

 never leave them in a room where there has 

 been no fire. Sudden transition from heat to 

 cold has kiUed, and does kill, many a splendid 

 songster. The lungs of birds are very deli- 

 cate. How many suffering victims do I 

 meet with, in my rambles in town and 

 country ! Here, I find them panting, wheez- 

 ing, gaping; there, I see them drooping, their 

 heads behind their wings, their feathers dis- 

 tended, their throats dried up, and their eyes 

 glazed in death. All, or nearly all, arise from 

 neglect or want of proper management. 



It must be specially borne in mind, that 

 in this country the cold weather usually 

 sets in before birds kept in confinement have 

 done moulting. Now the moulting season 

 is very trying under the best of circum- 

 stances. The birds are in a high state of 

 fever, and require more care and attention 

 then than ever. It is a time of suffering ; 

 and, unless his feathers drop freely, there is 

 much fear of your pet dying under the effort 

 of Nature to give him a new dress. Warmth 

 (but, at the same time, air) is indispensable ; 

 also, a generous diet, and much tender affec- 

 tion. We aU know, or should know, the 



