EXHIBITING AND WASHING 



185 



lar a position as possible, and scoop the 

 water in the third basin over it with the 

 rioht hand until it is perfectly free from 

 soap. A small cup can be used to run the 

 water over the feathers, allowing it, of 

 course, to run in the direction in which the 

 feathers should lie. In either case too 

 much water should not be placed on the 

 head, as this exhausts the bird — about 

 three sluicings over the head are quite suffi- 

 cient. After this the flights and tail should 

 be gently drawn through the fingers to 

 remove as nuich water as possible before 

 proceeding to the drying stage. Care must 

 be taken not to use much pressure, or a 

 portion, or possibly the whole, of the tail 

 may be pulled out. If preferred, a sponge 

 may be used for the final rinsing, and the 

 bird may even be dipped and freely moved 

 in the clean warm water — with the ex- 

 ception, of course, of the head. In what- 

 ever way it is done it should be remem- 

 bered that the great point is to get every 

 particle of soap completely out of the 

 plumage, for if any is left in it will pro- 

 portionately liinder a good result. 



At this stage a heavy sigh may probably 

 be heard from the " better half," and an 

 anxious face be seen watching the }>ro- 

 ceedings. Very likely the operator feels 

 badly too, as he beholds the miserable 

 little object he has produced ; few men 

 have ever '' smoie a smile "' at this crisis 

 of their first wash. Never mind ; but 

 having first " wrung out " the bird, as it 

 were, with the fingers (some people draw 

 the wings and tail through the lips instead), 

 take one of the soft cloths, previously well 

 warmed at the fire, which the good wife 

 will have all ready for you ; place the bird 

 on it, and '' dab " it gently between the 

 hands until the worst of the wet is soaked 

 up by the cloth. Be especially sure that 

 the water is well absorbed from about the 

 belly, vent, and under the wings. An 

 excellent method of " towelling " for efi'ect- 

 ing this purpose is to place a secf)nd dry 

 and hot cloth over the whole left hand ; 

 then take the bird with the right liaud, 

 with the two first fingers under the belly 

 and the thumb over the root of the tail 

 24 



and ends of the wings, when the patient 

 will open its wings a little at the shoul- 

 ders. At once the covered left thumb is 

 popped under one wing (extending between 

 wing and body), and the left second and 

 third fingers (also covered by the warm 

 cloth) under the other wing (sec illustra- 

 tion), which will, with a little judicious 

 manipulation, rapidly soak up the wet all 

 along the belly and under the wings. After 

 this the left forefinger, brought up over 

 the right side of the laird's neck, holds it 

 securely while the right hand takes up 

 the loose end of the cloth and wipes over 

 the head, down the back, flights, and tail. 

 The wet being, in the main, soaked up, 

 another hot, dry cloth, doubled this time, 



is taken in the right hand, 

 How to Dry .^^^^ ^j^^ ^,j,.^i ^^^^j^, j.^jj^^ 

 the Bird. . , '^ 



in it, so twisting the cloth at 



the end where the head lies that the bird 

 cannot sli}5 out, but at the same time allow- 



POSITION FOR DRYING. 



ing free access of air to the beak, so that 

 the bird can breathe quite freely. Let it 

 lie in front of the fire in this position for 

 a few minutes — not too near, but just 

 to keep nice and warm — to recover some- 

 what, and then take it out of the cloth, 

 see that its plumage is all lying in its 

 proper position, and place it in the drying 

 cage — on the perch if it has recovered suf- 

 ficiently to stand ; if not, put it gently 

 on the cloth which covers the bottom of 

 the cage. If it is one of the hot-water 

 drying cages, close the door and slip down 

 the glass front, and tnat is all that is 

 necessary. If a cage is being used so as 



