Breeding and Management. 55 



After the birds are properly paired that is, when they are 

 thoroughly reconciled to each other, and on a friendly footing 

 it will be advisable to separate them for, say, two or three 

 days, which generally tends to strengthen the attachment 

 already formed. This can be done by closing the communi- 

 cation between the compartments of the breeding-cage, but 

 when " single-coupled " breeding-cages are used, the cock 

 should be put into another cage, and placed as closely as 

 convenient to the one containing his partner or partners. Care 

 should be taken, however, to prevent either, if possible, from 

 seeing other birds of the opposite sex: this can be accom- 

 plished in a variety of ways, which, doubtless, will suggest 

 themselves naturally ; such, for instance, as forming lines with 

 common twine and covering with a thin material of any kind, 

 or old newspapers, so as not to exclude too much light. When 

 a cock is placed beside two hens, he will sometimes show a 

 preference for one, and proceed to persecute the other; in 

 such a case, remove the hen he appears to despise into another 

 cage, and after the one he first selects has laid three eggs 

 and commenced to sit, remove him from beside her, and pro- 

 ceed, as at first, with the other hen. Some male birds become 

 so much attached to a particular hen as to resent all others, 

 and vice versa, but such cases are of rare occurrence. 



BREEDING-SEASON. The best time to put birds together is 

 from the 10th to the 21st of March, although some fanciers 

 put them together much sooner; but unless they are con- 

 stantly kept in a room with a fire in which must be avoided 

 when possible it is not prudent to do so ; in fact, I 

 prefer the latter to the former date, and rarely put my birds 

 together before that time. The result of a too early com- 

 mencement is, that the hens are frequently seized with the 

 cold, and become so weak and prostrate that they have not 

 strength to deposit their eggs, and unless promptly attended 

 to succumb in the effort; at other times they lay them irre- 

 gularly, get out of condition, and will not sit upon them; or 

 presuming that these difficulties have been overcome, the 

 easterly winds, which are usually prevalent at this season of 



