Cages and Cage-making. 27 



tops being made in the manner described, they form, when 

 packed, an angular roof ; and this in a great measure prevents 

 the servants of the railway companies from placing heavy 

 packages upon the tops of them, which they would be very 

 likely to do if they were made flat, and thereby incurring the 

 chance of breakage or damage. The main stay at the 

 bottom, in front of the cage, is l^in. in depth, and the top 

 stay lin. except at the extreme corners, which are shaped so 

 as to give it the appearance of the top of the capital letter 

 T. At the end of the cage, towards the right hand, is a 

 circular door, 4in. in diameter, and bevelled in such a manner 

 as to prevent it going inside the cage (see Fig. 13). The 

 bottom of the cage should project about a-quarter-of-un- 

 inch beyond the front. Two stout wire bars, at equal 

 distances from the top and bottom of the cage, and from each 

 other, should be placed across the front of the cage. No. 11 

 wire should be used for cages of this kind, and No. 13 for 

 the uprights, as they need to be very strong ; they should be 

 placed three-quarters-of-an-inch apart, and firmly secured either 

 by wire binding or solder. I generally bend two wires a little 

 at the bottom at one end of the cage (it is immaterial which 

 end) for the convenience of the bird to drink through, the 

 drinking-tin being hung opposite this aperture; be careful not 

 to make it too large, or the bird might get out. Place two 

 perches in such a manner as to rest upon the lowest cross- 

 bar, insert a piece of stout wire into the end of each perch, 

 about l^in., allowing it to project about three-eighths-of-an- 

 inch, and fix it into the back of the cage in a straight line; 

 cut away a portion of the under-part of the other end of 

 the perches to the extent of a quarter or three-eighths-of-an- 

 inch back, to one-half their thickness, round or bevel off 

 the top edge, and make a notch in it so that you can slip it 

 across the upright wire to make it firm, for it is a great 

 misfortune when a perch falls down, especially when there 

 is only one, for it prevents the bird being seen to advantage 

 when it has to be examined by the judges on the floor of 

 the cage. Some fanciers use only one perch, but this is a 



