i5f> 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



eiK)Ugli to jiisliiy US ill clnirjK-li rising the 

 moult as being sucli a critical iicriod in a 

 bird's liistory as to cause any serious 

 apprclionsioii as to the I'csult. 



We have ah-eady alhided to tlie fact that 

 " the fh'st moult is the iiuikiiii"' or other- 

 wise oi' a young bird."' and thei-e is no 

 doubt truth in the statement, as a bnd or 

 impeded first moult is detrimental te. the 

 bird's final stage ol' maturity. So that 

 a good tree moult is dcsiral)le. and th.is is 

 greatly assisted by gootl health, wh.ich is 

 largely assured ')y sanitary sui'roundings, 

 roouiy cages, and judicious I'ccding. 



'i"he dietary at this period should lie 



canary-seed as a staple food, with a little 



(ierman rape added two or 

 Moulting ,.^j.pp ^ji^^pg .^ ^^,^.pl^ ,^ jj^^.|p 



iJ'et. 



linseed, and oecasionaily just 

 a j)iHch of niger-sced. These two latter 

 seeds assist in giving a satin-like polish to 

 the new fealhcrs, which all add to the finish 

 and apju-aranee of the bird. A little cgg- 

 I'ood should also lie given two or three 

 times a, week right througli the moult. 

 mixing with it a litlie maw-seed. It may 

 be given daily if in such small ([iian- 

 tities that it is eaten iij) in. say. the 

 space ol half an iioiir- with beiicliei;d 

 results. 



In regard to diet it should always be 

 boi'ue in mind th;d oiii' birds .ire in a 

 limited space, and we must regulate our 

 food su|)ply accordingly : slimiilating foods 

 can be gi\cn nmch more lihcially where 

 birds have large a,\ iarics foi- lliglil, as Ihe 

 exercise counteracts the ili-cnVcts which, 

 would hillow such libcialily in llu- restricted 

 area of a cage or ordinary lllght. 



Where birds arc not ))eing colour-fed, 

 a little green food is also beuefioial daily 

 in small quantities, such as j'oung lettuce 

 or seeding chickwced. 'I'his latter they 

 are very fond of. and dc\<nir the seed with 

 voi'acity. \ h\v of tlie ripe seed-heads 

 of knapweed and plantain may also be 

 given whene\(r procurable ; there arc 

 pleut\' to be found on railway banks, in 

 the hedges, and on other waste ground 

 during the summer months. 'J'lic birds are 

 very i'ond of Ihcsecdof these jilants, and 



The Baih. 



I hey arc beneficial to all Canaries, as well 



as hybrids and British !)irds. 



Dui'ing the niniilt tic iiatli ma\' be 



allowed weekly : but let the birds take 



it of thicir own i're<' \vill : do 



not force them into it. or 



attciiipt to sjiray them if they will not 



bathe, or you may cause then; to faii\t, 



wliii'h many birds will do. if excited during 



the moult and |)crio(i of new feathci' 



production. 



A [)oint to I'cmembcr is that at no 



time of the year docs the red-mite i)est 



rcipiire such diligent su])])ression as during 



till' latter part of the breeding season and 



moult. 



Birds previously healthy will, it is true, 



simietimcs die at this time, but the ]ier- 



centage of deaths is very 



Moulting small: and although the 



Difficulties. 



moulting season ;nay claim 



a few \'ietinis. and may be. in the case of 

 ailing birds, the last straw which l>reaks 

 the camers back, we do not think that the 

 number of deaths in ))rcviously healthy 

 subjects is greater than those which, can 

 be directly traced to other causes. Person- 

 ally, we never ex]ierienced the least dilli- 

 cult\' in carrying our l)irds througli this 

 period ; though, of course, we keep a 

 sharp eye on them, and carry out om- regu- 

 lations to the letter ; and we are of opinion 

 tliat the idea of death is about the last 

 which enters the mind of the cxj)erieuced 

 breeder when he finds it time to take ids 

 vouug stock in hand. Hcyond doubt there 

 must be a strain on the system t(j produce 

 the plumage, but it is all perfectly in obedi- 

 ence to settled laws, and Nature docs not 

 call on the bird for the effort without 

 furnishing the munitions of war hi abundant 

 supj)ly. and doing her best to maintain the 

 healthy conditions necessary for the suceess- 

 hil carrying out of the work. This i)rocess 

 is sometimes spoken of as the moulting 

 " sickness." but we tliink the term mis- 

 ;ipplied : for the disposition to incubate 

 and pcrfoi-m oilier duties is just as much 

 a sickness, inasmuch as the i)ird retpiircs 

 to be in an abnormal slate of body at 

 the time. IJy sickness, we usually under- 



