CANARY-BIRD. 73 



attend to her maternal duties, frequently 

 arises from the eggs being clear and un- 

 productive, which may easily be found out 

 by holding them up to the light. If they 

 be bad, they may be thrown away as use- 

 less; but if good, they may be placed 

 under another, or divided between two 

 hens, to be hatched. 



When your Canary happens to break 

 his leg in the cage, which sometimes 

 occurs from the length of his nails or 

 claws catching in some inequality in the 

 perch, he should be put in a small cage 

 without any perches, until it becomes 

 well. The best plan, however, is to ex- 

 amine your birds occasionally, and when 

 you find their claws too long, to cut the 

 tips of them off with a sharp pair of scis- 

 sors. The perches must also be perfectly 

 smooth, round and strong, and when 

 placed in the back of the cage, should be 

 sharpened down to a fine point, which 

 should be inserted in a hole made by a 

 blunt awl. This will prevent the breeding 

 7 



