CHAPTER XIV 



EXHIBITING AND WASHING 



Owing, in some dcoree, to the remarks of 

 a few exhibitors and to the advice of 

 certain writers and lecturers desirous of 

 giving an impression of their special ability 

 to impart supposed secrets, it is thought 

 liy many that two or three weeks of more 

 or less occult " conditioning " is the main 

 secret of successfiU exhibition. In many 

 cases special treatment for "condition" is 

 useful ; but it cannot be said too plainly 

 that it all amounts to nothing in compari- 

 son with that success in rearing and 

 moulting ah-eady described. Many birds 

 require no further treatment, and such as 

 do not are those which, as a rule, make 

 the best exhibition birds. First-rate show 

 condition means simply perfect health, 

 cleanliness, and just that amount of flesh 

 which gives a finish to a bird's shape and 

 does not approach an over-fat condition, 

 which mars the symmetry of any variety. 



Uninjured plumage is of the utmost 

 importance, and for this reason a bird 

 must be steady in its cage 

 to show off well, and also 

 ncit to damage or dis- 

 arrange its plumage. It is 

 also essential that birds be shown in the 

 recognised show-cage of its variety. Of 

 those for Canaries we give illustrations in 

 this cha];ter. and shall deal with those for 

 hybrids and British birds later. 



The illustration on this page depicts a 

 Norwich show-cage, a shape that also 

 answers admirably for Greens and Cinna- 

 mons (Norwich type). No cage displays 

 these birds to greater perfection. The 

 cages differ slightly in their inside colour, 

 those for the Norwich and Cinnamons being 

 hedge-sparrow egg blue and that for the 

 Greens being a light bluey-green, quite 



Norwich 

 Show=cages. 



flat in tone — that is, without gloss. The 

 outside of all and the wires are coated 

 with black enamel or wood Japan-black. 

 In size, roughly speaking, a Norwich show- 

 cage measures 12 inches long, 11 inches 

 high, and 5 inches deep from front to back, 

 outside measurement, though some makers 

 may vary them ^ inch. Double cages 

 of this description are also made for show- 

 ing pairs of birds in ; they are just twice 

 the length, with a wire partition in the 



A NORWICH SHOW-CAGE. 



centre, one bird being placed in each com- 

 partment. 



The Lizard and London Fancy are sho^\ n 

 in a cage of similar type, but a size smaller, 

 about 11 inches long, 10 

 inches high, and 5 inches 

 deep. The top of the cage 

 is slanting, like that of the 

 inner lining of the Norwich 

 cage, and has no outer roof like the latter. 

 The inside of the Lizard cages is azure 

 blue for " golds " and moss-green for 

 " silvers." Azure blue answers well for 

 the inside of London Fancv show-cages, 



Cages for 

 Lizard and 

 London 

 Fancy. 



175 



