HIS PRIVATE APARTMENT 47 



to keep the food from falling out by a screen, 

 three inches high, of smooth white or buff 

 paper woven between the wires, and extend- 

 ing four or five inches each way from the 

 corner where the cup stands. If he inclines to 

 spatter, get a deeper cup, shaped like a glass 

 tumbler, perhaps one and a quarter inches in 

 diameter. From this it is hard to throw any- 

 thing. 



These directions are for medium-sized and 

 large birds ; for a canary, or a bird of its inches, 

 a dish outside, into which he must thrust his 

 head, is not objectionable. 



The tray should be covered with a quarter- 

 inch or more of clean bird gravel, not a bit of 

 paper with a little sand sprinkled on. It is im- 

 portant, too, to scatter over it something the 

 bird is fond of ; for a canary, or other seed-eater, 

 a few hemp-seed; for an insect-eater, a meal- 

 worm or a few berries. The object of this is 

 to have the bird tramp around in the gravel, 

 and so to keep his feet clean and in good con- 

 dition. In the cage of a canary and other 

 finches, should always be hung a piece of cut- 

 tle-fish bone. 



The cage made ready, the next thing is to 



