AVIARIES, CAGES, AND FITTINGS 



23 



the far end of the perches being fitted with metal pins 

 which fit into small holes made in the back of the cage. 

 Two screws are fixed in the back of the cage on the side 

 of each perch nearest the end of the cage. These are to 

 hang the nest pans on. Two are needed, because the hen 

 often goes to nest again before her youngsters of the previous 

 nest are fit to be removed. Thus whilst they use the old 



The Best Form of Seed Hopper. 



nest the hen can use the second one, and she is not dis* 

 turbed by the youngsters wanting to crowd in the same 

 nest as their mothers. 



Draw-boards and Turn-rails. 

 Some breeding cages are fitted with a turn-rail in front, 

 others with a draw-board. The turn-rail works on a pin 

 at one end of the cage and pulls out when the cage bottom 

 is cleaned, but as it necessitates the hand being put in the 

 cage to sweep and scrape out the refuse, I do not recom- 

 mend it. The birds are apt to be frightened, and when this 

 happens eggs or young are often pulled out of the nest on 



