AVIARIES, BIRD-ROOMS AND CAGES. 71 



straightened, so that one can cut it up to the length 

 required. To use with this we can now get flat punched 

 bars (that is, flat bars with holes punched in them) to 

 use as cross-bars, doing aw 7 ay with all the trouble of 

 binding with thin wire, which, to the amateur, spelt 

 sore fingers. 



When the lengths are cut off and put through the 

 bars, the whole should be fastened upon a board with 

 a few nails, and when in position, and perfectly square, 

 a little solder should be run down the flat bars. If the 

 fancier is unable to use a soldering iron, ten minutes 

 spent with a fellow fancier who can do so, will be more 

 useful to him than pages of written instructions; it is 

 a good deal a matter of " knack," and a little practice 

 soon makes perfect. 



When a bird-keeper is able to make his own cages, 

 he can, of course, follow his own ideas as to size and 

 shape much better} than otheirwise. Naturally, cage 

 makers make stock sizes, although no doubt thev would 

 be willing to execute an order for a dozen or so to a 

 fancier's own design if one required them. 



With regard to show-cages, it is policy to buy from 

 the regular makers. They turn them out lighter and 

 stronger than the ordinary fancier can. Still, cages for 

 exhibition British birds are quite another matter, as 

 these vary considerably in size and shape. We are able 

 to purchase a Blackbird's or Thrush's cage for exhi- 

 bition purposes better than we can make it. But some 

 of us have our own ideas as to the cages most suitable 

 for a Skylark, Wagtail, or small Soft-bill. When 

 making stock cages always have them as large as one 

 can possibly find room for, providing, of course, they 

 are not so large as to be clumsy, or bad to' handle for 

 cleaning purposes. 



VARIOUS APPLIANCES NEEDED. 



When indulging in any hobby we naturally must 

 have certain appliances, and the more thorough we are, 

 and the more we go into the matter, the larger and 

 more varied will our stock of appliances be. The bird 

 fancier is not by any means exempt from this rule, and 

 he needs a considerable amount of room to stow his 

 impedimenta away. 



