il/// hidiax ('oiiKi(jn)iient. 205 



boara. Nearly all (ii' we exclude those due to tin; misliap 

 at Calais) of the casuulties l>olh (hiriii,i,'' the vuyayc and shortly 

 after arrival oceuri'cd ainonyst liiids which had liccii in those 

 cag-es, which is cuidoiis as tlicse birds were liy no means the 

 must delieate. 



My own perches, two in number, run the wliole length 

 of a row. I'he tronl one is al>oul le\el with the tins and 

 about half an inch Irojn them. It is round y inch and passes. 

 through \ inch holes in the right side and partitions; the 

 left end whicii is tapered near the tip is jammed into and 

 slightly through a 'juartei' inch hole at the left side of the cage. 

 The back perch is a bit lai'ger, rectangular, witli tlie edges 

 just rountletl uQ' and is jammed in the same way. Terches 

 were frecjuently cleaned; to this and to frequent i)atiis f at- 

 tribute my freedom from sore feet. I3ath cages to hang on 

 the front were made to "nest" as were the baths themselves. 

 1 only had eight but would have been glad of a few more, 

 another half dozen would have taken up little more room. 



The wood frame of the cage is made of ■■ inch pine, 

 except the side pieces which are | inch. This sounds heavy but 

 ordinary cage wood will not stand the knocking about getting 

 to the railway, even if it would stand the journey aftei'wards. 

 Freight in India is charged by bulk, as indeed it is on the 

 ship. Mail trains may refuse to take packages measuring 

 over eight cubic feet. Rope handles are fitted near the top 

 of each side piece, and they are highly appreciated by the 

 coolie when he has been shown what they are there for, and 

 after he has been shown firmly and perhaps even forcibly 

 that it is not the right thing to carry cages on his head. 

 I had light curtains in fi'ont but found that I preferred bird 

 with nerves slightly on edge (and they soon get used to being 

 stared at from a few inches olf) to cages being 

 neatly piled up on their backs or fronts and tore olf these 

 dangerous attachments. Since leaving them off, I have had no 

 cages damaged by brute force. All my cages are made in 

 pairs so that by putting them face to face, practically touching 

 at night I can retire with an easy mind as regards cats and 

 rats. I spent a good part of my second night on board first 

 of all watching the efforts of a rat, and later those of one of 

 the ship's cats, and came to the conclusion that there was 

 nothing to fear from either of these pests. 



