CANARIES. 17 



seed-box and watering-pot are inside the cage, and within his easy reach : your 

 brass cage has the cups hung on the outside, with small, narrow apertures, through 

 which the bird is obliged to poke his head in order to reach his seed and water. As 

 he has never been accustomed to this mode of reaching his food, and endeavors to 

 find it in vain, the only results can be slow death, or a disease resulting from over- 

 eating after he has found his food. The above evil luckily does not frequently 

 happen ; as some birds, seemingly possessed of more instinct than others, readily 

 find the cups, and eat and drink at once from them. It is, however, well to watch 

 the bird after being changed into such a cage, and notice whether or not he eats. 

 In case he does not eat within a few hours, place the seed and water in small vessels 

 inside his cage, and then accustom him to the ones hung on the outside. It is 

 always better to procure cages with the cups so arranged that the openings to them 

 will be on the inside. 



The different classes of Canaries are brought up and fed on about as many differ- 

 ent kinds of seeds, and the seeds to which the bird has been accustomed are the 

 ones on which to feed him. The Germans religiously believe in the superiority of 

 the German summer rape-seed, and feed it to their birds when fresh or new. This 

 seed is not heating, and an excellent voice-promoter. When he eats solely of this, it 

 has the effect of keeping the song down to a mellow state : when the more heating 

 seeds are fed, they are apt to produce the sharper notes, and have the effect of mak- 

 ing the bird sing too constantly, which is not desirable in the highest class of song 

 Canaries. When sent to other countries, it is the custom to vary the diet by the 

 addition of other seeds, such as canary and millet, being fed in equal proportions 

 with the rape. This has been proved to be an excellent plan of feeding, as the 

 change of air and habitation seemingly necessitates a change to more stimulating 

 food. At different seasons of the year, the food may also be changed : on consult- 

 ing the articles on " Food and Care " for the different months, the best foods may 

 be noted. In England the breeders of German Canaries follow the plan of feeding 

 adopted with their own Canaries; i.e., of adding to regular seeds, sugar mixed 

 with egg. This is not advisable, however, as has been proved by the inferi- 

 ority of the German birds bred in England to those bred in Germany. The Ger- 

 man method of feeding the young birds daily on a mixture of grated hard-boiled 

 egg, mixed with Zwieback, or hardened German bread, is the best. When Zwie- 

 back cannot be obtained, grated bread will do. When the birds grow older, there is 

 no need of feeding the egg-mixture so often. The quantity given at a time should 

 be in proportion to one hard-boiled egg mixed with an equal quantity of bread, for 

 eight birds. The above foods should form the principal daily diet of all German 

 Canaries. For treatment in case of sickness, consult the articles on " Food and 

 Care," and lt Remedies for Diseases." 



THE BELGIAN, OR LONG-BREED, CANARY. 



This breed of Canary is of ancient Dutch origin, and in some parts of the world 

 is the highest prized of any class of Canaries known. They are bred for shape and 

 position chiefly, song and color being minor qualities. The bird, as he originally 

 appeared, was merely a long, slender bird of the Canary breed ; but persistent breed- 



