36 CANARIES AND CAGE-BIRDS. 



A word about perches suitable for the Canary's foot. The proper size should be 

 when of the same diameter throughout about twice that of a common-sized 

 lead-pencil. Perches which are too small are a source of constant misery to the 

 bird. You will always notice in the case where the perch tapers at the ends, that 

 the bird chooses the centre or thickest portion as his natural resting-place, on 

 account of the rest which it gives his feet. 



The Canary naturally follows the old adage, " Early to bed," etc. He will, in the 

 early hours of the evening, go to roost, putting his head beneath his wing, evidently 

 with the intention of letting it remain there, unless disturbed ; and he will also as 

 eagerly seek the early sunshine. Hang the cage, therefore, where the rising sun 

 will reach him ; and the effect will be worth many bottles of medicine to the sick 

 bird, and renewed strength to the health} 7 one. Heat, if not obtained naturally, 

 must be had artificially, where there are sick birds, or in the breeding-room. The 

 young birds require it, as do also the weakened systems of the old. Mice are a 

 source of torture to Canaries, and oftentimes succeed in frightening healthy birds 

 into sickness, and even death : you will oftentimes perceive your Canary drooping 

 and sickly in appearance from no apparent cause ; and this is provoking in itself, be- 

 cause of the care you have given him. If there are mice in the house, and any pos- 

 sible chance for them to reach your Canary cage or room, rest assured they will get 

 there. Bird-seeds are as delicious to them as the best brands of cheese ; and the}' 

 will enter the cage in the dark, and succeed in making your bird as sick as the most 

 ambitious bird-doctor could desire. The only remedy is, to hang the cage out of 

 possible reach, and, in the case of the breeding-room, to effectually bar them out by 

 means of zinc. If you disregard the mice, the larger enemies, rats, will follow ; and, 

 instead of nursing sick birds, you will be burying dead ones. Insects are another 

 pest, and worse even than mice, for they are more stealthy, and do not leave such 

 visible traces of their visitations ; but they succeed in so completely torturing the 

 bird, that his life is gradually consumed. Students who make the study of insects 

 a specialty say, that there are two classes of them which annoy the Canary : one 

 class is composed of those which remain on the bird's body throughout the entire 

 twenty-four hours, and the other of those which seek the bird's body only at night, 

 and remain in the crevices of the cage and perches through the day. The two are 

 closely allied, and their differences can only be detected by the most powerful of 

 microscopes. In order to thoroughly rid your bird of both kinds, for where one 

 class is known to be, the other is most sure to follow, use the German Insect 

 Powder, the only sure kind. It must be thoroughly dusted over the bird's body, 

 under the feathers ; and a thorough cleansing of the cage must follow. If the cage 

 is of brass, the effectual way is to have it refinished, and the perches renewed. If 

 insects appear in the wooden breeding-cage, the birds should be removed if pos- 

 sible ; and the cage should receive a thorough coat of varnish, after first being 

 washed with soap and warm water, and the joints and crevices treated with a solu- 

 tion of bichloride of mercury. Only tightly jointed breeding-cages should be used : 

 the old, rickety, loosely constructed affairs should be discarded. For this reason, 

 when purchasing a breeding-cage, buy only the best ; as they are not thrown to- 

 gether, but neatly jointed and varnished. When the presence of insects is sus- 

 pected, if the crevices and joints are inspected, a little white deposit resembling 



