T45 

 ^'MEATING OFF" 



AND FEEDING SOFT-BILLS. 



By John Frostick. 

 {Continued fro?n page 126). 



CAGES are a very important item in the proper 

 keeping of soft-bills. I have made a special study of 

 both British and foreign makes, and, out of the many 

 ideas suggested, have evolved one that I think comes to 

 as near perfection as mortal man can devise. 



For a bird the size of a Nightingale or smaller, I 

 make a cage I9|in. long, loin. wide, I5|in. high. ; box 

 shape and open only in front. The body of the cage is 

 made from best yellow pine, painted inside v/ith three 

 coats of Aspinall's ' Pearl ' Enamel. The outside is 

 stained mahogany colour and varnished or French 

 polished. On the inside of the roof there is a removable 

 frame covered with stout lineu, leaving a space between 

 it and the wooden top of three-quarters of an inch : this 

 is to prevent the bird from injuring its head by a sudden 

 jump upwards during the restless period known as the 

 migratory fever. The bottom has a movable tray of 

 zinc, which is easier to keep thoroughly clean than 

 wood, the droppings not being able to soak into the 

 metal as they do into wood and thus cause an unhealthy 

 smell. The front, which is also removable, is fitted with 

 wooden bars instead of wire, against which the inmate is 

 less likely to injure its feathers than if wire were used. 

 At each end of the front bottom rail a little oblong door 

 opens out, to which is fixed a round loop of wire, on the 

 the inside, to hold a round flanged glass, the shape of a 

 gentleman's tall hat ; these glasses are for the food and 

 water, and are about 2in. in diameter by ijin. deep. A 

 flap, lin. deep, is hinged to the front of the bottom rail, 

 which allows of the drawer being pulled out for cleaning, 

 but prevents the possible escape of the bird during the 

 process. A door at the front to hang the bath on, and 

 another at the right hand end to run the bird out at, 

 together with three perches, complete the cage. The 



