AVIARIES, BIRD-ROO'MS AND CAGES. S; 



mixed articles, yet cages do not get that hard daily wear 

 which makes it necessary to have the most lasting 

 material. Ready mixed paints put up in one pound, or 

 two pound, tins may be purchased at most oil stores, 

 but these, like everything else, are made in more than 

 one quality. The best paint will only cost another 

 pebny or so per pound, and will be found to lay on 

 much more smoothly than the common, besides giving 

 a better finish when dry. 



SOME USEFUL HINTS. 



Before using, the tins should be well shaken, and 

 the "bottoms" stirred up with a stick, so that all the 

 contents get thoroughly incorporated. In light paints 

 the thick substance at the bottom is in reality the 

 " body " of the paint, and is therefore very necessary to 

 the mixture. Should it require thinning, a little turpen- 

 tine, and linseed oil, in equal proportions, should be 

 added. 



If the Fancier requires the paint to dry with a gloss 

 on it, add linseed oil alone, or oil and a small quantity 

 of varnish. If required without the gloss (called 

 " flat") add turpentine only; it will then dry dull, and 

 quickly. 



When laying on the first coat of paint, put on as 

 little as possible, merely staining the wood. The 

 brushes used should be hogshair, of fine quality if 

 coarse, the work will look bad, showing the brush marks 

 plainly. When painting, work from top to bottom, or 

 left to right, then with the same brush without paint 

 cross the work lightly, again going over it, in the same 

 manner as at first, and this will give a fine smooth 

 surface. When the first coat of paint is thoroughly 

 dry, another may be put on still using the mixture 

 sparingly. If a high gloss is desired the work should 

 be lightly rubbed down with a piece of fine sand-paper 

 before proceeding to add another coat. 



Some paints dry badly. Of these, black is one, 

 and as this is a colour frequently used by fanciers for 

 the outside of the cages, it is a good plan to first give 

 the work a coat of slate colour, which has considerable 

 body and dries well, thus making a capital foundation 

 for thbe black. 



