1/4 



CANARIES, HYBRIDS, AND BRITISH BIRDS 



As the niDiilt ;L|)|)r()aclifs (•i)inj>lrt ii>ii tlu- 

 birds hcniu to re<;'aiu tlicir spriyhtliiiess. and 

 tlicir appetite — whieii in some will iiave hci-n 

 ratiier last idious --retnriiiiiL;' tluy will de- 

 mand a sniipiy ol' substantial I'ood. Tlic 

 more dainty regimen must now be gradually 

 discontinued till the bird is once more on 

 its hard seed ; and what colour-food it 

 still has should be given in the form of cake, 

 or. if mixed with soft food, only at longer 

 intervals. A day should at lirst be missed. 

 then a little later two days, and so on. 

 This enables the system to get gradually 

 accustomed to the hard seed and plainer 

 diet again. 



The metamorj)hosis the bird has uncU-r- 



gonc will be seen to be truly wonderful. 



Wherever there exists a tin\- 



After the pi„.,-,ient cell there will the subtle 

 Moult. ' " 



action of tiie blood have con- 

 veyed its complement of colouring matter, 

 while the theory that the leg-scales and 

 other featherless parts arc composed of 

 the s;imc material as the feather, and are 

 physiologically but cell developments, will 

 receive vcrilieation from the evidences 



they will present of Ix-ing also receptacles 

 of the })igment matter which, I'oi' the last 

 two months, has been playing such an 

 important )iart in the moult, and desclop- 

 ing in their case to a rich Uesh colour. 



Little remains to be said under the head 

 of general management ; but the gems of 

 the season shoidd now be transferred to 

 separate cages, because, as they continue 

 to freshen and come into song, they will 

 turn jealous and pugnacious, and if left 

 together may mutilate each other and thus 

 spoil their chance of success in the show 

 I'ooni. Of course, where they do agree, 

 leave well alone, for there cannot he sepa- 

 rate accommodation for every bird, and 

 alter the best have been drafti'd olT into 

 separate compaitments or cages, the re- 

 mainder can go into winter quarters — the 

 cocks, half a dozen or more, in roomy 

 ilights or in the double breeding compart- 

 ments, and the hens in numbers to suit 

 the cage room at conunand. Casual ipiar- 

 relsome birds should be isolated, or they 

 will cause contimial strife amongst the 

 fellow occui)ants of their llight. 



WASIUNG A CANARY (5K p- "l^- 

 Mr. James Johnston. Kilmarnock, with Apparatus. I>r>infi and Show C&go. 



