CANARIES. 43 



The claws of Canaries sometimes grow very long and hooking, and need to be 

 cut. Hold the bird up to a strong light, and cut the claws with a sharp pair of 

 scissors, avoiding hitting the vein in the claw. 



The bill, or beak, may grow so long that it is almost impossible for the bird to 

 pick up his food. Usually only the upper mandible needs to be cut back, and 

 should be left of natural length, and, of course, longer than the lower. After being 

 cut with the scissors, the round edge may be scraped off with a knife ; and the end of 

 the bill should not be left blunt, but should be brought, by scraping, to such a point 

 as it naturally would have. 



Accidents to the joints may sometimes occur from the bird getting caught in 

 the bars of the cage ; and a wrench will cause, sometimes, a painful inflammation. 

 Bathe the afflicted part with a solution of hot water, and a few drops of tincture of 

 opium. 



Broken Legs. In case of a broken leg, draw the leg out slightly, taking hold 

 just below the break, then, with fingers and thumb, press the ends of the break 

 into position. Shear the feathers off for a half-inch each side of the limb if 

 necessary, and wind a couple of times around the break a piece of cotton cloth three- 

 quarters of an inch wide, and secure it with thread. Take two half-inch splints of 

 pine, each one-sixteenth of an inch thick, and one-eighth of an inch wide ; place 

 "one splint inside the leg, and the other outside, and secure them firmly in their 

 places by thread ; remove the perches, place the seed and water in the bottom of the 

 cage, and trust to nature to effect a healing. 



When a bird gets mangled beyond possible recovery, it is evidence of the kindest 

 heart to administer chloroform. To do this, make a paper horn large enough to 

 hold the bird ; let six drops of chloroform drop into the bottom ; put the bird in, 

 and close the top of the horn. His suffering is ended. Death is painless and 

 instantaneous. 



The prevention of disease is worthy of far greater praise than any possible dis- 

 play of skill can be that attempts to control the flame of fever kindled by sheer 

 carelessness. 



To prevent diseases in birds, use the best quality of seeds, clean, fresh water for 

 drinking or bathing, coarse, flinty gravel, cuttle-bone, and fresh green stuff. If 

 these are supplemented by light, airy rooms, where the bird may have one or two 

 hours of sunlight each day, and regular attention, your bird, if fairly well bred, will 

 be subject to few diseases. 



BREEDING-BIRDS. 



Canaries may be bred either in aviaries or in separate cages. The aviary 

 method can be followed by those who have no definite purpose other than the pleas- 

 ure to be derived from general observation. "We may sum up," says Blakston, 

 ' the advantages of the aviary system briefly, by saying that it involves only a small 

 amount of care and attention : the birds being left pretty much to take care of them- 

 selves, to choose their own mates, and make their little world inside the wires as 

 much as possible like that outside. The observer has nothing to do but watch the 

 goings on of the little republic, which will develop much that is beautiful. In the 



