128 CANARIES 



and it is here that most care will be required. The dirt 

 seems to cling more firmly to the head than it does to any 

 other part of the body. 



Great care is needed in keeping the brush out of the 

 eyes ; a little soap will not hurt, but should the brush 

 be used at all roughly round the head the bird's eyes 

 may sustain serious injury. It is a good plan to soften 

 the dirt round the head by rubbing with the finger, and 

 then the brush need only be used very little near the 

 eyes. Never rub soap directly on the feather, always 

 use the brush or finger to apply it. 



Rinsing out the Soap. 



The lathering having been properly performed, you 

 must next proceed to get the soap out of the feathers. 

 Hold the bird securely in the left hand, and give it a good 

 rinsing in the second basin, then finally rinse in the third 

 basin ; a tea-spoonful of glycerine may also be mixed 

 with the water in this basin. Don't be afraid to use 

 plenty of water ; give the bird a thorough sousing, for 

 unless you get every particle of soap out of the feathers 

 your labour will all be thrown away. Should any soap 

 be left in the feathers, the bird will present a very rough 

 appearance when it is dry. 



Now TO THE Drying. 



The rinsing being finished, draw the wings and tail 

 smartly through the finger and thumb of the right hand ; 

 this will extract much of the water. Then take one of 

 the cloths, roll the bird in it, and lay it on the table whilst 

 you wipe your hands in the towel. Having done this, 

 throw one end of the cloth over your left hand, place the 

 bird in it with your fingers and thumb under its wings, 

 take the other end of the cloth in your right hand, and 

 proceed to dry the back, wings and tail, at the same 

 time so manipulating the left hand that all the water 

 in the under part of the body may be drawn out. Then 

 straighten the wings and tail with the right hand, place 

 the bird on its back in the drying box, and proceed with 

 number two. The birds must be kept warm so the 



