CHAPTER VI. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



DIARY. Those bird fanciers who intend to breed birds for 

 exhibition or profit should keep a diary or record of their pro- 

 ceedings and success during each breeding season, and also a 

 " Stud Book," to enable them to trace without difficulty the 

 pedigrees and performances of those birds which comprise 

 their studs. 



The diary ought to be begun at the commencement of the 

 breeding season, and continued to the end of the year, or longer 

 if desirable at all events until all the young birds are over the 

 moult and the surplus stock disposed of ; every event should be 

 chronicled therein, such, for example, as the full particulars of 

 the birds you breed from, the dates of pairing, laying, setting, 

 hatching, &c. A few minutes should be devoted to this 

 important duty every day, say, immediately after breakfast, 

 if convenient, if not, at some more suitable time of day; but 

 do not procrastinate, neither must an entry be omitted, as 

 this would greatly mar the value of the journal. Each bird 

 ought to have a distinguishing name or number, so that the 

 produce of each individual pair of birds could be easily traced 

 from one generation to another, and their blood -relation- 

 ship established clearly beyond doubt. The diary should be 

 about 14in. by lOin., moderately thick, and either plain or ruled 

 with horizontal lines only. An entire leaf should be appro- 

 priated to the use of each pair of birds for the season. Every 



