1 6 The Canary Book. 



bright surface you require. You may be obliged to replenish 

 your polishing-pad or rubber from time to time this you 

 must do with the utmost dexterity ; but do not forget the 

 oil or the polish will not work it will dry and peel off. 

 You will find that with care and practice you will soon be- 

 come an adept in this line of business. If the varnish or 

 polish gets too thick at times, add a little more spirit or finish. 

 BREEDING-CAGES. The single-compartment breeding-cage, 

 shown in Fig. 3, is well adapted for Yorkshire Fancy canaries, 

 Manchester Coppies, &c., and may, if desired, be used for the 

 smaller varieties, such as Lizards, Norwich Fancy, &c. The 

 dimensions are as follow : Outside measurement length, 

 20in.; height, 16in.; width, lOin.; the main front stay (bottom) 

 is 3in. deep; three-quarters-of-an-inch of which represents 

 the front of the " false bottom " or " draw-board " ; the top stay 

 is 2in. in depth; the wires forming the front of the cage are 

 fixed into those stays; the seed-hopper is 4in. long and 2in. 

 wide, and 2in. deep in that portion which forms the trough, 

 the sides extending Sin. higher, and tapering away to a-quarter- 

 of-an-inch, forming an acute angle. A narrow groove must 

 be made on each side of the outer edge of these, which admits 

 of a piece of glass being put in; this forms a cover* to keep 

 out the dirt from the seed ; it likewise prevents the birds from 

 throwing the seed over the hopper, and enables you to see 

 without removing it when a fresh supply is required. An egg- 

 drawer, 2in. wide and 3in. long, made of tin, with a tin, 

 wood, or brass front, or a porcelain drawer, must be placed 

 in the end of the cage, about 4in. from the front. A drink- 

 ing-trough, made of tin, zinc, or sheet iron, can be hung on 

 the front of the mainstay, or a glass trough used if preferred, 

 but by all means do not use those tall glass fountains; the 

 water soon becomes turbid and foul in them; they are per- 

 fect abominations. At the opposite side to the water-trough 

 hook on the seed-hopper. A perch must be placed inside the 

 cage the whole length of the front, about two inches behind 

 the mainstay, and about one-and-a-half -inches below its level; 

 this is for the birds to feed from, and to enable them to 



