^he Belgian. 229 



during the greater portion if not the entire show season- 

 unless you have the dire misfortune, as some fanciers have, to be 

 the occupant of a smoky house, in which case if you cannot remedy 

 the evil you should have the chimney swept frequently, say once 

 a month, or even oftener if a very bad case, from September to 

 February in each year. You must likewise keep the cages 

 containing the show birds covered with a thin material, close in 

 texture, and, in addition to these precautions, you will find it 

 advantageous to nail some "list" that is the outer edge, 

 commonly called selvedge, of cloth (which can be obtained of 

 any practical tailor merely for the asking) round the frame of 

 the door of your bird room ; that is, up each side and along the 

 top in such a manner as to make it project over the crevices 

 between the door and the frame, and nail a lath an inch or so 

 thick at the bottom of the door frame; as a matter of course, 

 the latter must be put on inside of the door if it opens outward, 

 but if it opens into the room then it must be outside. These 

 appliances will be found of great service in keeping out the 

 smoke. You might likewise, with some advantage, fasten a 

 broad leather flap over the keyhole of the lock. 



With these arrangements it will be necessary to open the 

 window occasionally, to let in a current of fresh air, unless there 

 is a chimney with an open fireplace in the room. By careful 

 attention to these directions your birds ought to require very 

 little in the way of washing ; but if their feet are littered up 

 with dirt, or their tails and wing-ends are tinged and soiled, it 

 will be necessary to give them a slight wash two or three days 

 before they are sent off for exhibition. This can be readily 

 accomplished with a piece of clean flannel, a little scented or 

 common soap, and some clean warm water. First make a soap 

 lather upon the flannel, and apply it to the parts that require to 

 be cleansed; lastly, rinse off with pure water, using another 

 clean cloth or flannel for this purpose ; dry the feathers as much 

 as you can with an old silk handkerchief, and place the bird in a 

 warm room until he is quite dry : be sure to get the soap thoroughly 

 out of the feathers. Show birds should be supplied with a bath 

 once a week, if the weather is not too cold. Glass vessels, such 

 as preserve or jelly dishes, are best adapted for their use ; and 



