30 CANARIES 



constitutions, and in the same manner their use for the 

 breeding hens of the stud has enormous advantage. 

 Many fanciers use large wooden flight cages, only the 

 front being wire, others have them constructed of wire 

 entirely, excepting the bottom portion, whilst many 

 simply wire off the recess near the fireplace in the bird 

 room, and in such cases the wire work extends from the 

 floor to the ceiling of the bird room. It is useless to talk 

 about the sizes of flight cages, because they must be 

 adapted to the space at command, but this much I will 

 say, the larger they are the better for the birds' health 

 and comfort, and the success of their owner. 



Show Hampers and Cases. 



Opinions are divided as to the merits of hampers, 

 boxes, and cases for the conveyance of the show cages 

 and their occupants to and from the shows. In Lan- 

 cashire and Yorkshire, where fanciers are very numerous 

 and a more homogeneous lot than in most other places, 

 canvas cases are mostly used. The frames are of wood 

 over which is stretched canvas or American cloth, the top 

 being fastened down with straps. This style of case is 

 generally used by breeders of Yorkshires the country 

 through, but there is not the same unanimity with breeders 

 of Norwich, Cinnamons, Crests and other breeds which 

 are shown in box cages. Some use strong hampers lined 

 with baize, some canvas cases, and some wooden boxes. 

 Scots Fancy and Border Fancy breeders invariably use 

 wooden boxes with oval tops, and some of them are really 

 fine pieces of workmanship. Belgian breeders generally 

 use cases like those used by the Yorkshiremen. 



Years ago birds used to be sent to the shows packed 

 in paper, or canvas, very few breeders used to use cases, 

 and I have, in the olden days, seen some very weird 

 packages in the show rooms and en route. In those days 

 many a cage was smashed on its way to or from the 

 shows. It is quite possible that the 50 per cent, excess 

 charge by the railway people had its origin in the flimsy 

 wrappers which the old-time fanciers used. To-day, 

 when practically everyone uses proper cases for the 

 carriage of their birds to and from the shows, that 50 per 

 cent, excess charge is an imposition which only one word 

 adequately describes — Robbery, 



