HIS BATH 67 



The only objection to the tin dishes is their 

 coldness in winter, but I obviated that by 

 warming them a little over the register. To 

 give them a little roughness like the earthen- 

 ware, so that the bird's smooth claws shall 

 have foothold, is important, because many 

 birds are so frightened by the slipping and 

 sliding of their feet on wet tin that they after- 

 wards refuse to go in. I provided for this by 

 a thick coat of oil paint, over which, while 

 still wet, I sprinkled bird gravel. When the 

 paint dried, enough gravel adhered to make 

 it pleasantly rough. I used a dark color of 

 paint because the birds were so attached to 

 the earthen saucer, and I fancied they were 

 not so timid about going in. 



That my dishes suited their needs was 

 abundantly proved by the eagerness with 

 which they all bathed. Though I provided 

 two and sometimes three dishes, there was 

 more trouble about precedence at the bath 

 than about any other one thing in the room. 



An account of the bathing arrangement 

 may be useful to persons who keep several 

 birds. On the table, which was an ordinary 

 folding cutting-table perhaps two feet by three 



