Cages and Cage-making. 37 



to bathe in through one or other of these apertures. At 

 the other end I have a large drawer which holds 71b. of 

 seed; this is covered with a fixed wood frame inside with 

 a sloping top and a wired front; it is 12in. deep at the 

 back and 9in. in front. This is to allow the light to 

 penetrate inside, and to enable the birds to see their food; 

 the perches, with the exception of the one to feed from 

 and the other to reach their drinking-water readily, are all 

 placed at different distances and various heights, care being 

 taken not to have one above the other, or in such a way 

 that the birds would be likely to foul each other. It is 

 lime - washed out, and the perches are made to " ship " and 

 " unship " at pleasure. It accommodates forty birds, and I 

 generally place those in it that I intend to dispose of. If 

 they fight, as they often do about Christmas, I darken the 

 apartment, which has the effect of restoring order. 



BEADS FOR CAGE-DOORS. In Norwich I observed that most 

 fanciers, including the Mackleys, have their cage-doors some 

 distance from the cross-pieces, both top and bottom, and this 

 they manage to do by putting in two large glass beads, placed 

 on the wire that the door works on, in opening and closing it. 

 This is to prevent parasites from congregating there. 



AVIARIES. The illustrations, Figs. 20 and 22 are represen- 

 tations of outdoor aviaries. That shown in Fig. 22 may be 

 placed on a lawn or in some convenient situation in a 

 garden or pleasure-ground. It can be made to any dimen- 

 sions required. 



The aviary shown in Fig. 20 should be erected against a 

 wall in a sheltered situation, and with a south or south- 

 westerly aspect, and should be constructed with an inner and 

 an outer compartment, as shown. 



A friend of mine has one which answers the purpose admir- 

 ably. It is about fifteen feet in length, and about seven feet 

 in width. It is constructed of wood and wire, in the form of a 

 "lean-to." A wall some seven or eight feet in height forms 

 the back. At one end is a sort of small room, forming the 



