54 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



STRENGTHRNING CKOSS- 

 VVIKK BAR. 



flit to the correct Icnotli for the ease with 

 j)Hcrs. 



In adchtion to this siiiali huiidle ol' wires 

 it will be necessary to have a piece of 

 No. 15 <iauoe wire for a strengthening 

 cross-wire bar, a few yards of binding wire 

 (technically known as " lapping wire ""), 

 and a ])air of entting pliers. The ilhistra- 

 tion herewith shows this strengthening 

 cross-wire bar and the method of binding. 



The actual operation of wiring is exceed- 

 ingly sini])le. Pass the wire downwards 

 tlu-niigh the middle cross-bar: it ought 

 not to slip through, but should i-equirc 



gentle |)nlling with 

 the ti|)s of the 

 pliers, by means 

 of which — held 

 near the end — it 

 must be inserted 

 in its pro|)er hole 

 and pushed down 

 to the bottom, (jr 

 till the other end 

 is clear of the lower 

 edge of the toj) cross-piece. Tiiis allows of 

 the wire being inserted in the toj) hole witli- 

 out bending it, for tiiough it has a certain 

 amount of elasticity, it is better not to 

 lia\c to try it too nmch in that direction. 

 'J'liis is our reason fin- directing the holes 

 to be |)ierccd i an inch in depth. Having 

 pressed the end ol' the wire home the inll 

 I inch, jilaee Ihc other end in the hole 

 in the top of tiic Ixittoiu cinss-bar. pressing 

 tlic end of tlie wire into il a 1 ol' an inch. 

 It will then be secure at bulli cuds. 'I'lic 

 strengthening cross-wire innst be iim 

 IliriMigh behind (he wires, midway belwceii 

 the cross-bar and llie top: but hel'di-e 

 secin'ing the wires to il we must sei' to 

 the seed and water holes. 



In wiring al)o\c llie t\nnv the wires 

 nnisl come through the middle cross- 

 bar lo Ihe under-side, so as to lill 

 up the holes. II niighl be urged llial it 

 would be as well nol to pierce through Ihe 

 cross-])ar at this |)ailienlar place: bill by 

 carrying Ihe wires through. Ihe work is 

 nniterially strengthened at a weak spot : 

 at the same time the bar need not be 



pricked f/uitc through if care ])c used with 

 the awl. 



Our usual plan is to ]ilane up .i clean 

 piece of wood, and Inning measured off 

 as many bars as the width will allow, and 

 set olT the marks for the holes, to prick the 

 entire piece before cutting it up. We have 

 then several lengths all pierced with exact- 

 ness, and then it matters not where it is 

 cut, or into how many long or short lengths, 

 for the tops and bottoms of doors or other 

 ])urposes, the holes will always be fomid 

 to correspond and make true work. The 

 same method can be adopted with other 

 cross-pieces : clamp as many together as 

 can be managed, and mark them otT for 

 ])ricking on one scale ; there is then never 

 any risk of top and bottom holes not 

 corres[)onding, or of the wiring getting out 

 of the perpendicidar. 



The wires nuist be cut a few inches 



longer for the seed and water holes, 



three of which are required for 



Seed and J eompartmcnt. The extra 



Water , , . ' 



Holes. length is to allow lor the wire 



used in making the round holes. 

 The}' are easily twisted into shajie by means 

 of a round jiiece of hard wood : a ruler of 

 lignum \h;v rather less than 1 inch in 

 diameter answers well. The most a|)proved 

 twist is shown in the accompanying illus- 

 t ration. 



I'ersonalK'. we pi'cfer a liiamond-shaped 

 hole. o])en at t he top 

 as shown in t he illiis- 

 I rat ion ol' a loose w ii'e 

 I'ronl oil |)age .")(). 

 •Siieh holes |iresci-ve 

 Ihe I'ealhei's on the 

 back ol' I he neck l'|-oin 

 damage, .-iii e\er- 

 present risk when the 

 round wii'c holes are 

 used : owing to the 

 dail\' ml) ol Ihe 

 fcalhers against the 



wire at the lop of the hole, the I'ealhei's be- 

 come i|uite Ihin and \ cry soiled. The dia- 

 mond-shapi'd holes arc of es})ecial advantage 

 to creslcil birds, as they prevent the possi- 

 bility of damage to the back of the crest. 



HOUND DlilNKINt; 

 1IOL1-. 



