THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 93 



Except in the breeding season, the male canaries should be kept 

 alone in separate cages, which, whatever the shape, ought not to be 

 less than eight inches in diameter and a foot in height, with two 

 sticks placed across for the birds to perch on. The females may be 

 allowed to range the room with one wing clipped, or, which is 

 better, kept in large cages ; where, from having plenty of exercise, 

 their health and strength are better preserved. In the small cages, 

 glass vases should be placed on the outside, at the extremities of the 

 lower stick, to hold the food and water. 



These may be surmounted with a cap of tin, or something of the 

 kind, to prevent the seed from being so easily scattered. Cleanli- 

 ness being a great preservative against most of their disorders, the 

 bottom of the cage should be made to draw out, that it may more 

 easily be cleaned and covered with sand. This should be done every 

 day, or at least several times a week. 



These tender birds, being natives of a warm climate, and be- 

 coming more delicate instead of hardier from being kept in the 

 house, require a temperature analogous to that of their native 

 climate. They must be protected from the cold, and never allowed 

 to remain in winter in a cold room, which would occasion many 

 diseases, or even death. But in summer it is proper to place them 

 in the open air, and they enjoy it very much. Never do thev sine 

 so gaily as on fine days, and their cages should therefore be placed 

 at the opeu window, that they may have the advantage of the light 

 and heat of the sun, which is particularly serviceable to them while 

 bathing. 



Their food is an important point; for in proportion as it is 

 simple and natural, it will be wholesome ; and, on the contrary, the 

 more it is mixed and rare, the more injurious and productive of 

 disease will it be. What we have found the best is summer rape- 

 seed ; we mean that which is sown at the end of spring, which is 

 small and brown, in distinction from the winter rape-seed, which is 

 sown in the autumn, and which is large and black. This seed alone 

 agrees with canaries as well as linnets ; but to give them the plea- 

 sure of variety, a little bruised hemp, or canary, or poppy-seed is 

 added to it, especially in the spring, when they are intended to 

 breed. Indeed, a mixture of rape-seed, oatmeal, and millet, or 

 canavy-seed may be given to them as a great treat. But whatever 

 seeds they may have, they equally require green foods, as chickweed 

 in spring, lettuce and radish-leaves in summer, endive, water-cress, 

 and slices of sweet apple in winter. As to that whimsical and com- 

 plicated mixture, prescribed and used by many people, of rape, 

 millet, hemp, canary-seed, maize, sugar, cake, hard biscuit, crack- 

 nels, buns, and the like, so far from being wholesome, it iojure* 

 the birds in every respect. It spoils their taste, weakens their 

 stomachs, renders them feeble, sickly, and incapable of beariuo- 

 moulting, under which they most frequently die. It is true that 

 they may be accustomed to eat everything which comes to table ; 

 but to tench this habit is also to prepare a poison for them, which 

 though slow, is not the less sure, and brings them to a premature 

 death ; whilst every day we see bird-fanciers, who are poor, who 



Murch. . 



