28 The Canary Book. 



most objectionable practice, and very reprehensible, as a 

 timid bird is sure to dart into the bottom of the cage, or 

 against the wires, at that critical moment when it is under- 

 going the ordeal of the scrutinising gaze of the judges, and 

 a judge is very apt at such a moment to lose his temper 

 over it, which is by no means to be desired; bub when there 

 are two perches it will in most cases content itself by 

 hopping to and fro from one to the other, and by this 

 means show itself to much greater advantage. The perches 

 should be placed about four-and-a-half inches from each 

 end of the cage, or upon the sixth wire. 



If you choose to do so, you can make the front of the cage 

 solid, by making it in the form of a frame; in this case it 

 should be made to fit inside a little way, and should be 

 fastened with small screws at the sides. The advantage to 

 be derived by this contrivance is the ready means it affords 

 you for re-painting or colouring-out your cages. It is not 

 customary to make seed-drawers for cages of this sort, the 

 seed being thrown inside the cage. I generally sprinkle a little 

 sand over the cage bottom first; some people use oat-, barley - 

 or wheat-chaff instead, and others nothing but the seed. These 

 cages ought to be coloured inside or painted before you com- 

 mence to wire them, as you can do it so much more readily at 

 that time. The outside can be either painted or stained and 

 varnished, it is all a matter of taste, but it is advisable to 

 coat the wires with black varnish, as it forms an excellent 

 contrast with the colour of the birds ; and more particularly 

 is this visible when the occupants are Clear Yellow or Buff 

 Norwich birds. It is the practice of some fanciers to cover 

 the perches of their show-cages with scarlet flannel or crim- 

 son velvet, and with others to tint the front ends of them 

 with rose pink or carmine, or to have them gilded 

 with gold leaf. Whether their object is to show the great 

 value or the affection they entertain for their pets, or what 

 their motives are, I am unable to say; but it is certainly 

 an objectionable practice, and, I think, ought to be put a 

 stop to by show committees, as all such conspicuous and 



