52 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



SIMI'LK TURN-RAIL, 



one slight tap on llie wooden l)ac'k. The 

 places for the wires arc tluis marked with 

 unfailing regularity and ])rccision. It' the 

 marking is always eonnnenccd from the 

 right of the cross-bars, with the first wire 

 mark j; of an ineii from tlie end. the mark- 

 ing is boimd to cotuc plundj on each bar. 

 The bored cross-jncces can then be replaced 

 and fixed with J,'-ineh or 1-ineh brads. 



But what is to be done with the ojK-n 

 space of 1 inch at tlie bottom, between the 

 floor of the cage and the bottom cross- 

 bar ? Tliere should be fitted into it on 

 each side of the partition a piece of wood of 

 the same thickness as the bottom cross- 

 bar, or one piece 

 the whole length 

 of the cage may 

 be made instead 

 of tlie separate 

 jiieces for each 

 compart m c n t. 

 In eitiier case, it 

 shoukl lit tiglilly enougli to need a little 

 pressure to remove it. There should 

 also be fixed on the front of lliis rail, 

 about 8 inches from both ends, ov in the 

 centre if a sejiarate rail is used for each 

 compartment, a small brass knob by which 

 to remove the rail when the cage is cleaned 

 out. (An illustration of this turn-rail is 

 here given.) The cage can be cleaned out 

 through the opening thus alTordcd by means 

 of a narrow sei"a])er. 



In place of this turn-rail a false bottom 

 or tray is sometimes used ; but we do not 

 favour false bottoms, as in our opinion 

 they are cumbersome, lia])lc to waip. and 

 of no practical value. They are. iiuk'ed. 

 <listinetly disadvantageous, for Ihey form 

 a convenient harboiu- for red mite, and 

 however well they may be made the sand 

 or sawdust scattered by the birds is certain 

 to get beneath them, in si)itc of any ixad- 

 ing which may be put round. Thus, ai'tei- 

 the false b(»ltom has been withdrawn, a 

 scraper has still to be used to clear tmder- 

 ncath. If this i)e not done tlu' sand or 

 sawdust will aeennudatc. and prevent the 

 tray from shutting closely. The turn-rail 

 obviates all this inconvenience, and has 



always been a s])ecial fancy of ours, as it 

 is easily made, and in no way interferes 

 with the appearance of the cage. It is a 

 most eilieicnt means to a necessary end. 



The cage can now be painted or enamelled 

 inside. A very good colour is sky blue or 

 hedge-sparrow egg blue. The front cross- 

 bars may also have a ])reliminary coat of 

 black, and the cage is then ready for wiring. 

 AVhen this is done, the whole of the out- 

 side of the cage, including the front, should 

 l)c jiaintcd black or any other colour that 

 may be preferred ; but the preliminary 

 coat on the cross-bars uuist, of course, be 

 of the same colour. 



It will be seen that the space to be wired 



is just 1'2] inches in the ordinary cage, or 



in one built for birds of position, 



How to ^ii^.j^j j^g Yorkshires, Scotch 



Cage. I'ancies, Belgians, and Lanca- 



shircs, 1.3j inches or l-tj inches, 

 according to the height of the cage. To en- 

 sure stability, each wire should be inserted 

 at least a I of an inch into the top and 

 l)ottom cross-bars ; the wires, therefore, 

 must be cut not less than A an inch longer 

 than the space from top to bottom. If the 

 middle cross-bar be kept well down, the 

 birds will have plenty of head room when 

 on the perches, a particularly imjiortant 

 matter for birds of position. 



Now to ]n-oeced with the wiring of the 

 cage. In the old days the would-be cage- 

 maker had to buy his wire in coils, which 

 means that each length used had to be 

 first straightened, 'i'his was |)artially done 

 as it was drawn from the coil by passing it 

 l)et\veen a siiupk- arrangement of iron 

 ))egs ; but eaili ])iece had still a curve, 

 and to make it absolutely straight was 

 an art acciuired only by long practice, 

 and was aeeomplished by |)resstu'e between 

 the linger and Ihunil). To straighten the 

 hundred and fifty wires recpiired for a 

 cage was the work of only a few minutes 

 for the man who had done the same with as 

 manv thousands: and when done they 

 Tivrc straight. Much of the win' is now, 

 however, straightened i)y machinery and 

 sold in straight lengths ready for use by 

 most w iri'-wiirki'rs. It only i-e(iuirc-s to bo 



