64 " CANARIES 



out at the back as it should. It is impossible for birds 

 so afflicted to grasp the perch properly. The treatment 

 is very simple, and generally as efficacious as it is simple. 

 A narrow piece of tubing, such as is used for babies' 

 feeding bottles, should be used to fasten the claw back. 

 Press the claw back to the leg and then slip the narrow 

 piece of tubing over the foot on to the leg so that it may 

 hold the claw back. If this is done as soon as the bird 

 tries to perch a cure is effected in a week or two, and some- 

 times in a few days. It must, however, be done early 

 before the bones of the foot get set. It cannot be cured 

 once the foot is hard and set. 



Clear Eggs, 



Lack of vitality due to improper feeding or to inherited 

 weakness is the cause of many clear eggs. This trouble 

 is one for which there is no cure. Once an egg is " bright " 

 or clear, it cannot be made good. Prevention therefore 

 is the only thing to which we may address ourselves. 

 During the winter season the birds should be given an 

 abundant supply of shell gravel, sea sand, or cuttle fish. 

 Twice a week a tonic should be given them — sulphate of 

 iron, or citrate of iron and quinine. A piece of the former 

 about the size of a pea to the ordinary glass of water 

 used on the cages, or a few grains of the latter. A regular 

 supply of green food is also of much assistance in promoting 

 vim and vigour in the breeding stock during the winter 

 months. 



When a hen is found to have clear eggs it is wise to 

 remove them and give her the fertile eggs of another 

 hen, let her hatch them, bring them up, and then go to nest 

 again in the ordinary way, and she will often have a 

 good strong nest of young all on her own the next round. 



When birds are heavily feathered, clear eggs are often 

 caused by the mass of feathers round the vent, especially 

 is this so with such birds as Crested Norwich, Lancashires, 

 and Scots Fancies, and in these latter days Plainhead 

 Norwich as well. When birds which are thus heavily 

 feathered are put up to breed the feathers round the vent 

 should be clipped away with a small sharp pair of scissors. 

 Both cocks and hens should be clipped. If this is not 

 done it is almost impossible for the eggs to be properly 

 fertilised. 



