70 OUR HOME PETS 



of the bathing-cage so that he can go freely 

 from one to the other. Then thrust a perch 

 through the bird's cage and through the open 

 doors, reaching to the bathing-dish. Then go 

 away. 



If the bird will not pass from his cage into 

 the other, you can easily induce him to do 

 so by covering his own cage with a dark- 

 colored cloth. Tuck it in closely, so that his 

 apartment will be dark, and the only light 

 will come from the open door. He will very 

 soon go to the light. Once in the bathing- 

 cage, if you keep well out of the way, the 

 wildest bird cannot resist bathing. 



When he has finished, he looks at once for 

 a perch, for the first instinct is to get up 

 higher to dress his feathers. Then go quiet- 

 ly to the table, and gently and slowly draw off 

 the cover from his cage. The sight of the 

 familiar perches will soon draw him home to 

 plume himself, when you can again come up 

 carefully, and remove him and close his door. 

 After getting accustomed to this routine, I 

 have had birds that would come out and 

 bathe on the open table with no cage over 

 them, and return at once to their own cage. 



