On Cages. 141 



pected cause of ill-health, and death of many a valued and 

 valuable bird. Of course the only way to guard against 

 this disaster is to go to the best makers, or the leading 

 bird-dealers, who are sure to patronise the best articles. 



But the cage to set off a canary to the greatest 

 advantage, and which therefore we recommend before 

 all others, is the plain square-topped cage, made of 

 white tin wire without any wood-work at all, except 

 the bottom, which should be of polished ebony, or at 

 least, if of other wood, stained black. This suits alike 

 all birds of whatever colour they may be, but we need 

 hardly say sets off the pale yellow or the deep orange 

 to the very greatest advantage. It is far beyond the 

 common mahogany, as any one may judge for himself 

 if he will only contrast any substance of red and yellow 

 together, beside yellow and black. All fanciers when 

 they wish to exhibit their birds to a purchaser or 

 otherwise, invariably use a black cage and not a maho- 

 gany one, which speaks for itself. And yet how few 

 such cages do you see exhibited for sale; if you 

 wish for one, it is ten to one that you will have 

 specially to order it, and yet its greater superiority for 

 exhibiting a canary off to the best advantage over all 

 the japanned pagodas and Swiss cottages that ever were 

 made is beyond dispute, and requires only to be seen to 

 be at once admitted. 



For the purpose of breeding of course a cage of a 

 totally different construction is required, and the ordi- 

 nary shape will answer every end. The double one, 

 however, will probably be most convenient, its size 

 being something like the following dimensions, viz., 



