Difficulties in Laying. 53 



nest, which is to her a sick-bed in real earnest. We will not enter into any discussion as to the 

 cause of all this fuss. A probable cause will suggest itself, and as in similar cases of an equally- 

 interesting character, we can only say — " My dear, I'm afraid you'll have to be worse before you're 

 better." Do not interfere with the bird, and Nature will do all that is necessary. Next morning, 

 instead of finding her a subject for a post mortem, you will find an egg in the nest, and the little 

 hen going about her business quite at her ease. 



But if she should not have laid her egg, something will have to be done. That something is 

 so very simple, and so efficacious when it is done, that any one can manage it, and nobody should 

 hesitate about trying. Take the hen gently in the left hand, with her head towards the little 

 finger and the tail projecting between the thumb and first finger, and hold her in this position 

 over the steam of boiling water in a narrow-necked jug. Just lift her tail, and allow it to rest 

 on the edge of the jug, and expose the vent freely to the action of the steam. Let her have 

 a good vapour-bath, and then with a bluntly-pointed little stick drop one or two drops of sweet 

 oil on the .vent. Do not endeavour to insert it ; the parts are too small and will be too much 

 inflamed to allow anything of that kind. The oil will find its way and do its work speedily. 

 Gently replace the hen in the nest, and the egg will soon be laid, even if it be not dropped in the 

 jug. Some cases, however, will prove very obstinate ; for some there is no relief, and death 

 inevitably follows. In such case, 3. post mortem carefully made will reveal the internal economy, 

 and explain the difficulties of the position. Heat is an important element in bringing obstinate 

 cases to a successful issue, and when things look bad, the hen should be wrapped in warm flannel 

 and placed near the fire or on a wire-frame over a jug or basin of hot water. Early attention also 

 is of the utmost importance, as every minute increases the difficulty and lessens the chances of 

 success. Remember that the egg must on no account be broken, or the consequences will 

 immediately be fatal. The ultimate saving of the egg, also, is a matter of no moment compared 

 with saving the life of the bird, and she should not be placed in her nest too soon, simply with 

 that object in view. 



One lesson to be learned from this not unfrequent episode in bird-life is the importance of 

 an early visit to the bird-room. Canaries soon get to know those who have charge of them, and 

 will not be at all put out by a quiet visit, when a glance round will show whether things are going 

 on all right in every cage. We say a quiet visit, and is it necessary to point out the importance 

 of entering the bird-room quietly .? As regards a clumsy, noisy manner of opening and shutting 

 doors, some persons have a gift that way ; but if that gift be practised on the bird-room door, the 

 consequences will be "claw-holed" eggs. Quiet, and the entire absence of everything like fluster, 

 are essentials demanded of visitors. Gesticulation may be the soul of oratory, but we object to 

 having our birds pointed at with an umbrella. 



The removal of the eggs as laid is a practice on which there is some difference of opinion. 

 Our own mind has long been fully made up on the matter, and our advice is to do so 

 invariably ; but on the other hand, th< substitution of ivory eggs or similar artificial 

 contrivances is simply child's play. The only argument we have ever heard adduced in favour 

 of allowing eggs to remain is that those of wild birds remain untouched till the full 

 complement has been laid. But there is not the slightest analogy between the two cases. 

 The wild bird does not become broody until she has laid her complement, and consequently 

 does not even remain near her nest ; and we do not think any school-boy ever found 

 one or two or even three eggs in a nest which should on the average contain four, 

 from which he had occasion to disturb the parent bird. But a Canary confined in a box 

 eighteen inches square can scarcely be said to be in a natural state ; indeed, some of her after 



