CANARY BIRDS. 27 



ing their meaning generally quite clear to 

 her. 



Nothing adds so much to the birds' de- 

 light, as well as to their beauty, as to have 

 a sort of shelf about five inches wide, on 

 which a box full of roses, myrtles, and other 

 plants may stand, forming a hedge of foliage 

 between them and the window. 



PERCHES should be round and polished, 

 fitting into niches or between the wires. 

 Polished deal or maple is the best material, 

 after cane, which is at once a natural round 

 perch for the bird's foot to grasp, and per- 

 fectly light and easily cleaned. The perches 

 should be kept perfectly clean ; after wash- 

 ing them with yellow soap and water every 

 day, they should never be returned to the 

 cage until perfectly dry. They should not, 

 however, be dried too quickly by heat as 

 that would warp them. They should be 

 carefully arranged into the cage, so as not 

 to be just over each other. A good way is 

 to have one across the front, another across 



