62 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



those of cartlicnwarc. We ourselves are 

 j?lad tliat this old-1'ashionecl nest-box is fast 

 falling into disuse, and giving place to 

 the more sanitary nest-pan, which forms 

 much less harbourage for the red mite 

 pest than the ordinary wooden box. Tiiat 

 the latter is warmer for the birds is pure 

 imagination ; for the earthenware becomes 

 eipially warm from the heat given off 

 from the body of the l)ir(l. For our own 

 part, we should hesitate now to use either 

 a scjuarc wooden ncst-box or nests of 

 ■\vici<crwork. chip, oi- any similar material, 

 simply on the ground that every crevice 

 would appear to ns to be an advertisement 

 of " Apartments to let."" and an invitation 

 to the first stray parasite \n wander no 

 farther, but to take up his abode in such 

 a cleverly contrived residence. 



We have several times referred to this 

 possibility of " insects " becoming a nui- 

 sance, but have nrefcrred to 

 Pest.^"^^"* keep it out of sight as long 

 as j)ossiblc. It would have 

 to be explained sooner or later, so wc may 

 as well out with it at once and be done 

 with it. Perhajis it will be policy also to 

 represent the case as being nmch worse 

 than it really is, and then the beginner 

 will be agreeably surprised if he finds things 

 are not so bad as he expected. The Canary, 

 or, indeed, any cage -bird, is liable, imder 

 <'crlaiu circinustauccs. to Itccome infested 

 with parasites nnu-h in the same way as 

 otliei' animals ace similarly ])lagued. The 

 pre\ cnl i\c in each ease is the same. \\z. 

 cleanliness and fresh air : that is the begin- 

 ning and the end of the dreadful stoiy. 

 But lest any nuiv liud t heniscKcs beset 

 by an army of these pests, we give a. little 

 further account of them and sliow how 

 to deal with I hem. Without entering 

 into any (juestioii as to what the little 

 ])arasitc is. it will he sullieieut to say 

 that if a sharp look-out be kept on the 

 ends of the |)ei'ehes, the tops of \\(ioden 

 doors, where they touch the cross-bar. 

 the inside of wooden nest-boxes, between 

 the nest and the back of the cage, or an\' 

 similar hiding-place, the first signs of the 

 l)cst can always be traced. These consist 



of a white floury substance, which, if 

 examined closely, will be found to be 

 replete with life, and, if disturbed, will 

 move about in precisely the same way as 

 do the mites in cheese. It is. in fact, a 

 colony of mites — using the word to signify 

 a very small insect and not as a strictly 

 correct scientific term. 



Another indication of the presence of 

 the pest, and a sure guide to its hiding- 

 place, are minute white specks dotted 

 along the cross-bar of the cage, along any 

 crevice, or along the top of the cage. 



There cannot lie the slightest doubt con- 

 cerning tlie close connection between this 

 pecidiar organism and the bird, since the 

 presence of the latter is a necessary con- 

 dition of its existence, and proL^ably of 

 its jiroduction. How it is generated it 

 is not in our ]iower to say definitely, though 

 many theories have been advanced. We 

 only know that the fact of its existence 

 stands and that it is a very disagreeable 

 fact. Now, if these small settlements 

 of mites be left imdisturbed, they will 

 increase and nudtiply at a rate which 

 leaves blackbeetles and cockroaches far 

 behind in the race. In the early stages 

 of their existence they are Avhite, but 

 when they reach maturity they arc of a 

 brig'at red colour. They then feed upon 

 the birds by Jibstracting their blood, and 

 to this is due thcii' ehaugc of colour. 

 Dclinite proof of this can be obtained with 

 but little trouble by removing the birds 

 from .an infested cage. Let the cage 

 I'cmain empty, and do not disturb the 

 insects. They will not die for a consider- 

 able time, but change colour on being 

 deprived of thcii' natural food. 



These ]iests do not, like the larger grey 

 louse, remain on the birds ; but simply go 

 to them, chielly at night, and then return to 

 their hiding i)lace. If the cages ])e exam- 

 ined by candle-light, the insects will be 

 ol)ser\((l running oxer the birds in great 

 mnnl)crs with extraordinary speed, dis- 

 appearing l)cneath the feathers in a twink- 

 ling. They arc essentially nocturnal 

 creatures, and only dis|)lay this lightning- 

 like agility when running about on the 



