72 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



lower wooden cross-bar and the bottom indeed in many cmcrfjcncies. A rollin<f- 



ot the wooden end. wiiicli is wired {sec pin of hard wood lor eriishing biscuit, 



ilhistration). Both sides and the other iicmp-seed, or other hard food, is neces- 



end are wired. The door is made in sary to the equipment, as is also a small 



the wired end. as that is the most con- mill — an ordinary eollee-mill — for crushing 



venient place for it when the cage is in use. seed for young birds initil they can crack 



The framework of wood round the bottom it for themselves. 



of the cage should not he less than two inches A simple but efTectual method of cleaning 

 in height. There sliould be only one perch out cages which are not fitted with sand- 

 in the cage — placed in the middle, and trays is here shown. Tiie 



resting on the middle cross-bars which 5?^^". „ turn-rail is removed, and the 



"^ Cleaning. 



run along either side. A turn-rail is also edge of the dust-pan ])laced 



made in the bottom cross-bar, usually at just below the bottom of the cage and 



the same end as the door. A water-hole held in that position with the left hand; 



is arranced in the wire-work at one side the soiled sawdust, or whatever the material 



of the cage so that a drinking-vessel can 

 be hung for the use of the young birds. 

 Two wire hooks slia])ed thus T are 

 forced, one at either side, securely into 

 tiic lower |)()rtion 

 of the wooden 

 end, by which to 

 hang the cage on 

 to the breeding- 

 cage. A long- 

 loose wire catch, 

 arranged from 

 the centre of the 

 top of the nurs- 

 ery cage to fasten 

 on to the fidiit 

 of the brccding- 

 cagc. makes the 

 n u r se r y cage 

 complefc and 



ready fur use. 

 It is hung in 

 front of tlic ()|)en 



door III' I lie breeding-cage by these two 

 hooks, and held securely in |)(isili(in by the 

 to|) wire iuitch. 



A stock of these cages is both useful 

 an(l necessary in the breeding-room. A 

 few single cages, more or less :ire never in 

 the way. and caimot well i)e dispensed 

 with. They are recpiired For the cocks, 

 whieh should always be scjiarated olT 

 singly, and also for the cocks whieii ha\c 

 to be removed while the hens are incu- 

 bating their eggs. .\ s|)are cage is 

 useful, too, when a bird is taken ill. and 



Nn/niOl) OI- CIliANlNG A CAGU NOl MllUU 



wrrn sanotkay. 



with which the bottom of the cage is 

 covered is then drawn out with the iron 

 scra])er into the dust-pan. 



Canisters for different kinds of seeds, 



and a line sieve 

 for cleaning them 

 should also lind 

 a place in a well- 

 ordered room. 

 Where the re- 

 quirements of a 

 large establish- 

 ment demand 

 that si'cd should 

 be bought by 

 the bushel, or 

 even by the sack, 

 e a n i s I e r s foi' 

 storage are. of 

 course, out (jf 

 I he (juestion. In 

 these circum- 

 stances, provided 

 the storc-j)lace is i\v\- and free from 

 mice, the seed will keep jnsl as w ell standing 

 in the sack as it would in 

 a bin : but if mice or other 

 Acrmin are in evidence t hen 

 the seed is lictler stored in .'i gal\;uiised 

 bin wilh a lid. 



-Seed should always be silted before it 

 is supplied to the birds, and the contents of 

 t he hoppers should also be silted at intervals 

 sav once a week as a certain amount of 

 dirt always linds its way into them. If 

 not cleaned out at intervals this accunni- 



Seed= 

 Canisters, etc 



