THE CANARY'S PLUMAGE AND MOULTING 



143 



consequent on moultino' progresses ; and 

 even it it be found that the hen is sitting 

 oil fertile eggs at the time when the 

 moult begins, it is better to remove them 

 at once and not allow her to exhaust 

 herself in endeavouring to discharge two 

 duties at once. 



If she has cominenccd to drop a few 

 feathers the chances are greatly against 

 her sitting even her thirteen days ; and 

 it is certainly too much to expect that, 

 with failing energies and a constitutional 

 sickness coming on, she will continue for 

 a still longer jieriod to perform duties 

 which are born of a physical condition 

 altogether different from that incident 

 to the moulting period. 



We cannot do better now than take 



this opportunity of dismissing oiu- breeding 



stock for a \s'hilc. and leave 

 Preparations ^,^g,^^ ^^ ,^^^^j,,. ^^^^^ j.^^^.^,;^ 

 for Moulting . 



Season. tlieu- exhausted energies ni 



their winter quarters, which 

 we prepare for them by opening all parti- 

 tion-doors and dra\ving out all slides, and 

 after giving the cages a thorough autunm 

 cleansing, turn them, as far as sucli 

 arrangements will ])erniit, into fligiits. 

 Now will be the time to go over the old 

 st(»ck, \vith a view to j)utting aside for 

 fiu'ther use such as have answered our 

 expectations by accomplishing fair results, 

 and ])ulting into the sale cage those wc 

 intend to dispose of ; and having done 

 this roughly, by making a comprehensive 

 selection which will bear further thinning 

 out, the old hens may all be run together, 

 in suitable nimibers not to overcrowd 

 any one particidar flight. They will re- 

 quire no further attention beyond a supply 

 of good, nourisliing food, their cages kept 

 clean, and an occasional bath. 



We do not advocate the indiscriminate 

 use of the Ijath diu'ing moulting, but an 

 occasional dip is Ijcncficial. Such hens 

 as possess show properties, and are wanted 

 for exhibition, must be caged off separateh', 

 not necessarily singly, to be put through 

 the mill on the special diet of which we 

 shall treat presently. The same with the 

 cocks : many of these may have sho\v 



properties of a i)ermancnt character, and 

 may be recpiired to travel the circuit 

 again. To do them justice they ought to 

 be put into separate cages, or kej)t in 

 couples, as they will not be likely to 

 quarrel now, especially if the cage allotted 

 to them is of the same size-dimensions as 

 a single breeding-cage ; in fact, one of these 

 will answer splendidly for the purpose. 

 The remainder will do well enough in groups 

 in a roomy flight as described for the 

 hens, and as the blood in their veins is 

 not so hot as it was in the spring, 

 they will soon be tired of quarrelling. 



The young birds will also require to 

 be drafted over, and most probably a 

 selection of hens made from 

 How to Dis= tju-ni ; anfl the question 

 tinguish the ^^ yj^pj, arises: How are 

 Sex of Young ,...,, 



Birds. they to be distmguished 



from the cocks ? If the 

 fancier has been in the habit of spending 

 much time among his birds, the greater 

 nmnber of them will have declared 

 themselves ; for the cocks begin to sing 

 in their way at a month old, and some 

 ])recocious youngsters even earlier. But 

 he nuist learn to distinguish them by 

 other signs. In some varieties the 

 plumage is a slight guide ; and in the 

 case of moulted birds, of any variety, 

 the brilliancy of the phuuage alone is 

 an almost unerring indication. But it 

 is one of those things which can only be 

 learned by experience. Where tliere is a 

 marked difference in form and structural 

 points, or in the general character of the 

 plumage, verbal descrijrtion becomes easy, 

 and a novice can readily learn from it. 

 For example, we think that anyone who 

 can write his own language could not fail 

 to describe the difference between a cock 

 and hen in game fowls, so that a child 

 could not possibly mistake the one for the 

 other. It is not so, however, with some 

 birds, and the best judges are liable to 

 be deceived in certain instances. The 

 difference between the ajipearance of 

 the sexes in some varieties of the 

 Canary is so slight, that although an 

 experienced eye can detect it, it is not 



