368 The Canary Book. 



some cases, inflammation, whereas a piece of clean flannel or 

 cotton waste is never productive of injury in any form. In 

 the next place, you must pour some clean water into the other 

 basin, hot and cold, to about the same temperature. I pre- 

 sume that you have already doffed your coat and folded back 

 your shirt sleeves over your elbows ; you are now ready to begin. 

 First, put a piece of soap or some of the compound into 

 a basin and dissolve it in hot water, then add cold water 

 until the proper temperature is obtained, afterwards take 

 the bird you value least first, and place it in your left hand 

 with its head from you; you must grasp it securely but not 

 tightly ; let it be as passive as possible, at the same time it 

 must be held in such a way that it cannot by any possibility 

 make its escape; let it lay somewhat loosely in your hand, 

 and place your thumb or your forefinger over its neck, with 

 sufficient pressure to hold it but no more. 



You must be careful to avoid any undue pressure upon 

 any part of its body, and more particularly over the region of 

 the heart or bowels. If a bird makes a sudden dash, and you 

 feel conscious that it will elude your grasp, let it go; for if 

 you attempt to prevent it you will in all likelihood either 

 hurt it or pull out some of its wing or tail feathers. It is an 

 easy matter to catch it again. There is a great art in hand- 

 ling a bird properly, and, although it is very simple when 

 discovered, it requires a large amount of practice to enable 

 any person to do it efficiently. You must not be timid or 

 fumble when handling a bird, for birds, like horses, appear 

 to know instinctively when they have a novice to deal with. 

 Always remember that to have confidence in your own 

 prowess is half the battle won; without it, how many men 

 have failed to achieve feats which otherwise they might have 

 accomplished easily enough ! 



Commence to wash the back of the bird first from the 

 junction of the ' neck downwards ; the wings next. Let your 

 middle and lower fingers recede a little, and spread the wing 

 of the bird over them and wash it thoroughly ; after doing one 

 wing turn the bird round and do the other in like manner, and 



