!>66 CANARIES AXD CAGE-1UUDS. 



Pimples, or obstruction of the rump-gland. This is a gland which forms part 

 of the structural economy of every bird, and is intended for secreting the oily 

 substance required to render the plumage supple, and impervious to wet. The bird 

 presses this gland, which is situated just above the rump, with its bill ; and the oil 

 oozes out: if this is not done frequently, the opening is apt to get clogged ; and. 

 there being no vent for the increasing contents of the gland, it gets hard and 

 inflamed. If you see your bird sitting about with its tail bent downwards, and often 

 turning its head to peck at the hinder part, where the feathers will most likely 

 appear ruffled, suspect that this is the case, and if, on examination, you find it so, 

 rub the gland with some fresh butter and sugar mixed together, at the same time 

 clearing and enlarging the aperture with a needle or sharp knife. Some persons cut 

 off the gland altogether, but this is a bad plan ; for, although it effects a cure, it 

 deprives the bird of a useful organ, for want of which at the next moult he will 

 probably die. Bechstein recommends a salve of litharge, white lead, and olive-oil, 

 to remove the obstruction ; and Tscheiner, another German naturalist, states that 

 this evil may be remedied by puncturing the gland, compressing it frequently, 

 bathing the bird with a syringe, and plucking out some of the tail-feathers : in the 

 renewal of the feathers accumulated fat is absorbed, and the gland sufficiently 

 relieved to resume its functions. 



As the heat of summer approaches, every cage should be provided with an 

 awning that may be easily put on when the bird has his daily sun-bath. Cage- 

 awnings, for small round and square cages, are now manufactured in large quan- 

 tities, and can be found in the shops. For the large cages, wires may be bent over 

 the top from side to side, and the plain " duck " to be had at dry-goods stores may 

 be stretched over them, and fastened with simple wire hooks. The awning should 

 extend two inches or more out from the cage. 



APRIL MAY. 



Nestling Canaries, as soon as they can feed themselves, should be put into 

 flight-cages as large as can be conveniently used : six birds should have a cage not 

 less than twenty inches long, and twelve birds should have a cage not less than 

 thirty inches long. Not more than twelve song Canaries should be kept together, 

 and even this number is more than many breeders permit in one cage. It is shown, 

 that birds grow faster and stronger, keep in better feather, and learn to sing more 

 sweetly, where not more than six are in one cage. 



When you have reared Canaries of good shape and fine feather, the next point 

 is. to cultivate their voices. 



Canary-songs are not entailed : the son inherits little or no voice from the father, 

 and sings his parent's song because he hears it only and no other. And while 

 his vocal organs are very different in shape from those of Thrush or Nightingale, 

 and his windpipe is so contracted in comparison, that he cannot, by any system of 

 voice-building, utter notes that will comprise a song identical with theirs, still, let 

 him in his youthful weeks hear the silvery trills and plaintive modulations of the 

 Nightingale, the grand aspirations of the Lark, or the charming whistling of the Vir- 

 ginian Nightingale, and you may be sure of having, after three months of such in- 

 struction, a Canary with nearly all of the prized twenty odd notes. 



