272



Mr. Wallace Craig,



between the cross wires or stays is 6 in. Unfortunately for our

purpose, each strand has a “ tension curve ” in it every six inches, as

shown in Fig. 0; this is to give the fabric elasticity when used as

fencing, but it is undesirable in a bird-cage, so the first thing to do

(after cutting the pieces from the roll) is to straighten every curve—

a task which, though it takes considerable time, is easily done w T ith



l L L L



4 DotrX,



[From drawing by Wallace Craig.]



pliers and fingers, thus changing Fig. 0 into Fig. 1. Each cage is

made of four pieces of the welded wire fabric, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, and a

bottom of galvanised sheet-iron, Fig. 6. Since the cage is 24| in.

long, we need two pieces of the wire fabric, Figs. 1 and 2, to make

the length of it. These two pieces, after being fastened to the

bottom, will be firmly united simply by bending the projecting ends

j, j of Fig. 1 around the first strand of Fig. 2. Before being fastened

to the bottom, these two pieces are bent at right angles along the



