CANAEIES : THEIE CAEE AND MANAGEMENT. 9 



wire on the front slipped into the notch. If made the right length 

 the pressure of the wire will hold the perch in position. 



For shipping birds the small wicker cages in which canaries come 

 to dealers are best. These are fitted with deep, narrow-necked food 

 and water receptacles that do not readily spill, so that there is a 

 minimum of waste during the journey. A small packet or sack of 

 seeds should be tied to the outside of the cage in order that the bird's 

 supply may be replenished en route. 



CARE OF CAGES. 



Though canaries when acclimated can endure a great degree of 

 cold without discomfort, they are very susceptible to sudden changes 

 in temperature, and cold drafts soon prove fatal. This should be 

 borne in mind in choosing a place for the cage. A place along the 

 wall at some distance from a window is better for the bird, yet cages 

 are usuallj^^ suspended before windows. This may be permitted if 

 the window is kept closed and the joints are tight. It may be neces- 

 sary to line the edges of the window frame and the junction of the 

 upper and lower halves of the window with weather stripping to 

 prevent drafts. The room must remain at a fairly even temperature 

 day and night. For this reason it is best to avoid keeping birds in 

 small kitchens, as the fluctuations in heat are perhaps more marked 

 there than in any other part of the house. Exposure to damp air is 

 also likely to be fatal, another reason for avoiding the steam-laden 

 air of small kitchens. Direct exposure to a strong draft of cold air 

 must alwa3^s be avoided. A cage may be placed on a small shelf 

 along the wall or suspended from a bracket attached to the wall or 

 window casing. Brackets are inexpensive and are convenient for use 

 when it is impracticable to fasten hooks in the ceiling. 



Wherever placed, the cage must be kept scrupulously clean if the 

 canary is to remain in good health and free from vermin. Seed 

 supplies must be replenished and water renewed each day. The 

 receptacles for these necessities should be cleaned and washed care- 

 fully at short intervals. Cages that have removable bases should 

 have the tray in the bottom covered with several thicknesses of 

 paper. A better plan is to use the heavy coarse-grade sandpaper, 

 known as gravel paper, that may be secured from dealers in cage-bird 

 supplies. This should be renewed whenever the cage is cleaned, and 

 in addition the pan should be washed in hot water from time to time. 

 Lime on the perches may be removed by means of a scraper made 

 of a bit of tin fastened to a wire or tacked at right angles to a 

 stick small enough to pass easily between the wires of the cage. 

 Cages with bottom attached should be provided with a sand tray 

 that slides in and out through a slot in the front. This serves to 

 catch droppings, seed hulls, and other waste, and it may be easily 

 pulled out, cleaned, and refilled with fresh sand. 

 58563°— Bull. 770— 16 2 



