MANAGEMENT OF CAPTIVE BIRDS. 189 
the turf in the flight ; in a verandah cage on a_ sod of 
turf put in purposely ; the splashing of the birds will 
keep the grass fresh for some time. 
Food-pans should have the edges flanged over to keep 
the birds from throwing the food about; an enamelled 
iron spittoon, with the centre moveable piece removed, 
makes an excellent feeding-dish. If mice are trouble- 
some in an outdoor aviary, and no ground-birds are 
kept, the food-dishes should be put on little tables, or 
hung up in wire flower-baskets. Food-vessels should be 
put indoors. Food or water-vessels should never be stood 
directly under a perch, to avoid fouling. 
In small cages for single birds, the food- and water-ves- 
sels should always be placed inside, not outside, as_ is 
sometimes done with Europe-made cages. The receptacles 
should be little cups, held in place by a peg passed 
through the handles, which are put between the wires of 
the cage. The Chinese-made cups with curved sides 
and a narrow mouth are best, as preventing waste. A 
cage-bird’s bath should be given to it in a separate larger 
vessel every morning before the cage is cleaned out, to 
avoid mess. 
Foop anp Warrr. 
These should always be looked to dadly without fail. 
The water is best renewed in the afternoon as well as 
the morning, as birds often like to bathe twice a day, 
and much enjoy clean water. 
Seed-eating birds are of course fed on various kinds of 
grain ; if larger than a Mynah, paddy and corn of similar 
