THE ROLLER CANARY 23 
should always be well washed in slightly salted water 
before being given to the birds. Care must be taken 
never to give frosted green food, and at each time of 
feeding all stale green food should be removed from the 
cages. Many cases of inflammation of the bowels are 
due to stale green food, and stale egg food. Moral: 
Let all food be fresh. 
FIXING THE RINGS 
When the young birds are four days old, they should 
be rung. The “ British Roller Canary Association ”’ and 
also its affiliated Roller Canary Clubs insist upon all birds 
bred by their members being rung. We give illustra- 
tions of how the ringing is performed. The three front 
claws are put together, and the ring slipped over them, 
then up over the back claw, which is pressed close to 
the leg. 
Evening is the best time for ringing the birds, as the 
hens are most restful, and do not try to remove them. 
It is wise to smear the rings with some excreta when 
they are on the legs of the birds. This dims them, and 
the hens do not notice them. It is the brightness of the 
rings which attracts the hens, and causes them to pull 
them off. Watch must be kept for a day or two to see 
that the rings have not been pulled off. 
When the young are three weeks of age, the thoughts 
of the old birds will turn towards another family, and 
a clean nest pan should be hung on the opposite side of 
the breeding cage to the previous one, and some nesting 
material provided. Here it may be said that the nest 
with the young should be renewed once each week whilst 
the babes are occupying it. 
