GAGES AND GAGE-MAKING 



59 



OPEN TOP ROUND 

 GLASS DRINK- 

 ING- VESSEL. 



made hook-shape in a siniihir manner to 

 the ends of the wire arms for the short 

 cross-perches previously described. These, 

 when pressed over the top cdoe of the 

 bottom cross-bar, hokl the round wire 

 frame firm ; the glass drinlcer cannot slip 

 through owing to the flanged edge of the 

 top. In the list of open water-vessels 

 will be found, too, the glass and earthen- 

 ware cups, which also re- 

 quire to be suspended in 

 wire loops. 



The covered-in round- 

 topped glass bottles are 

 still used for both seed 

 and water in song cages, 

 though not to such an 

 extent as they were. We 

 have a great objection to 

 them, for while they may 

 be handy for the seed they are anj-thing 

 but suitable for the water ; they are most 

 difficult to clean, and as the edges round 

 the opening are very rough, one's fingers 

 are often cut in the effort to clean the 

 inside of the vessel. Great care is also 

 required to fit them so that the mouth 

 of the bottle is exactly opposite to the 

 wire hole, and very little is sufficient to 

 displace them; the bird is then deprived 

 of water or seed, as the case may be, until 

 the mischief is discovered. 



Another glass drinking-vessel in general 

 use in many j^arts of the north of England 

 is the half-moon shape (shown in the next 

 column). It will be observed that the flat 

 side of the vessel rests against the front of 

 the cage, and that the wire looiJ is passed 

 through the front bar with the ends bent 

 inside to hold it in jaosition. A better 

 method of fixing the wires is to make the 

 ends into hooks, so that they grip over 

 the top of the bar. The wire loop can then 

 be removed when the cages are washed, etc 

 The well-known conical glass fountain 

 with projecting lip is a rather expen- 

 sive but admirable reservoir, which furnishes 

 a continual supply of clean Mater. We 

 know of no better water-vessel than this, 

 if the wire hole be placed above the cross- 

 bar and adjacent to one of the perches, 



^- 



HALF-MOON SHAPED 

 DRINKING-VESSEL. 



SO that egg and other soft foods which 

 soon decompose are not likely to be thrown 

 into the mouth. 

 When used in con- 

 nection with large 

 flights, where a 

 group of birds are 

 flying together, it 

 is not so quickly 

 cleaned as the 

 open-topped drink- 

 ing-vessels, and two 

 or three of the lat- 

 ter placed a little 

 apart along the 

 front of a flight would answer the same 

 purpose. If, however, the water holes 

 are limited in the flight, then the conical 

 fountain will well supply the need, as 

 more than one— if of fair size — will not be 

 required unless there is a great number of 

 birds, and the flight is very large. 



It is not necessary for the amateur cage- 

 maker to have a complete kit of joiner's 

 tools. He should have two 



Ca°l^ ^°^ ^^^^^ ^°"^ ^ 1^*^"^' ''^'"^ *^^^ other 

 MaKing. ^ tenon or back saw), a " jack " 

 and a smoothing plane, a couple 

 of hammers (one very light and the other 

 a little heavier), two bradawls (one to 

 carry No. 14 or No. 15 

 gauge wire and the other to 

 carry No. 16 or No. 17 gauge), 

 a marking gauge — which we 

 fully described, and which 

 he would make himself — a 

 square, a couple of sharp 

 chisels, differing in size, a 

 medium-sized screw-driver, a 



„ ,, . ,. . CONICAL GLASS 



pair of cutting pliers, a pair fountain. 

 of round - pointed pliers, a 

 2-foot rule, an oil-stone, and a soldering 

 iron. Additions can be made to the kit as 

 they are found to be helpful, such as a 

 brace and bits, files, different sized chisels, 

 compasses, etc. 



Apart from breeding purposes, all varie- 

 ties of canaries and hybrids may be kept 

 in box-shaped cages, though they may, 

 as we shall describe, differ a little in size 

 and arrangement. 



