20 



clean and of a glossy hue, feel heavy, be free from 

 musty smell, and have a sweet taste. 



The best rape-seed is the German summer rape ; this 

 has a nut like flavor in distinction from the English 

 rape, which tastes somewhat like mustard. 



The cage must be daily supplied with fresh water, 

 both for bathing and drinking, and their cage cleaned 

 out at least once a week, and the bottom covered over 

 with dry gravel, which birds will freely pick, and which 

 helps digestion. Their perches should be kept clean. 

 Their feet must be occasionally examined, and if found 

 dirty, the bird should be carefully taken out of the cage, 

 the feet soaked in lukewarm water, and the dirt washed 

 off. In catching a bird for the above operation it is 

 well to darken the cage first to prevent him being 

 frightened. The claws, if too long, should be cut with 

 a sharp scissors, but care should be taken not to draw 

 blood ; the same with an overgrown bill. Persons 

 keeping canaries for their singing only, should keep 

 them in cages of about a foot in diameter, either round 

 or square ; as in a large cage they will not sing so well 

 or constant, having to much room to fiy about and 

 amuse themselves, which in a great degree takes away 

 their attention from singing. It is not necessary to 

 keep these birds in a very warm room in the winter 

 season, as they can endure a great deal of cold without 

 injury; but they should be kept in as equal a tem- 

 perature as possible, and not removed from a cold 

 room to a warm one, or vice versa. They should be 

 hung where they will be free from a draught, which is 



