158 Song Jttrds. 



26. Flower-pot saucers are in tlie meanwhile 

 among the best of seed and water holders for stand- 

 ing on a cage floor, as the birds can perch upon 

 their edges quite comfortably. 



My cage has another feeder, for the inhabitants 

 are so numerous that we need a good large dining- 

 room. A hanging box, of much the same shape as 

 the other, goes all along the end, containing alter- 

 nately boxes of seed and water. 



27. The trays draw out for cleaning, or if it is 

 preferred to dispense with them in the breeding 

 season, a small hoe answers every cleaning purpose. 



28. The side doors are made capacious, to enable 

 me to add large plants and branches inside. The 

 general eifect can be seen in the frontispiece. 



29. I have already mentioned the importance of 

 getting the best seed only. Ants' eggs, teasles, and 

 thistle -seed, may be obtained from the house I men- 

 tioned as supplying English birds. The red bird 

 sand is one penny a quart. 



30. The other requisites that occur to me for 

 bird keeping would be a tray for placing all the appa- 

 ratus on, which is very useful ; a few tin canisters, 

 or glass preserve jars, or even common bottles inthout 

 corks, for containing the various seeds. I say, ' * without 

 corks/' because of the danger of any small pieces being- 

 swallowed ; glass stoppers or gutta percha ones can- 

 be used instead. 



