222 The Canary Book. 



though they were next to worthless. Do not disturb them any 

 more than you can possibly help, and leave them as much to 

 themselves as circumstances will permit, and I am sure the 

 result will be, in the majority of instances, satisfactory alike to 

 khe birds and to yourself. 



It sometimes happens that the young Belgian canaries are 

 weak and puny, and have not sufficient strength to raise their 

 heads for the purpose of receiving nutrition from their parents 

 during the first two or three days after they are hatched. In 

 the former event you must administer food to them in small 

 quantities, at short intervals, for the first three days, and if the 

 mother appears to sulk, and refuses to feed them afterwards, 

 they must be transferred forthwith to a foster parent. (For 

 further particulars see chapter on Breeding, page 51.) 



As soon as the young birds are able to cater for themselves, 

 place them in large cases, with plenty of length, breadth, and 

 height, so that they will have ample room for exercise, which 

 will be found very beneficial and conducive both to their health 

 and well-being. 



RUNNING OUT. When they reach the age of seven or eight 

 weeks you must begin to train them to " run out," that is, to 

 teach them to go in and out of their usual domiciles, a la 

 Belgique, into show cages, as it is a most reprehensible practice 

 to catch birds of this variety with your hands, and a custom 

 which is very apt to scare and frighten them. This performance 

 is easy of accomplishment, and should be achieved in the follow- 

 ing mother. First catch the bird you desire to teach, and place 

 it in a show cage with a sliding door, and allow it time to settle 

 down quietly ; then take another cage, a fac simile of the last 

 named, and place the doors opposite each oilier, taking care to 

 raise the sliding doors to their full height, and place the aper- 

 tures directly opposite each other ; next take a piece of thin wood 

 or lath, previously rounded, and perfectly smooth, like the top of 

 a fishing rod, about two feet or two and a half feet in length a 

 portion of a penny cane stick will answer the purpose quite well. 

 Put this quietly and carefully through the wires of the cage in 

 which the bird is placed, and endeavour to drive it, in the 

 easiest manner possible, into the other cage. Be sure to 



