12 farmers' bulletin 770. 



cance in a cage bird, but enables wild birds to maintain their powers 

 of flight. The bodily covering, too, is renewed piecemeal, so that 

 except about the head there is normally no extensive area wholly 

 devoid of feathers at any time. Some birds drop a few of the body 

 feathers all through the year. 



Old birds weak in physical vigor often fail to renew their entire 

 feather covering, and ordinarily there is no remedy for it. A supply 

 of nutritious, easily, assimilated food and careful protection during 

 the next molt may result in improvement. Usually this incomplete 

 molt is a sign of extreme age or breakdown, and the bird does not 

 live long. 



With breeding birds the molt usually comes immediately after 

 the breeding season. It ma}^ begin as early as the latter part of 

 July. Normally it comes during August, and on the average should 

 be at its height in September. Young birds molt the juvenal body 

 plumage after leaving the nest, but retain the first growth ol wing 

 and tail feathers for a year. In health}^ birds the entire molt 

 requires about two months. 



Birds usually need no special care during molt. Though they are 

 in an abnormal bodily state at this time, healthy individuals will 

 come through the ]oeriod in good condition. Canaries are somewhat 

 dull and stupid when molting and should be disturbed as little as 

 possible. Bathing may be permitted once or twice each week, but 

 if birds do not wish to bathe thej should not be spraj^ed with water, 

 as this may cause fainting. The molt follows its normal course best 

 in rather damp weather. A great change in temperature or a sud- 

 den chill may check its progress and occasionally cause serious 

 trouble. If a bird shows signs of distress, it should be placed 

 at once in a warm, protected place. Twenty drops of brandy, five 

 of sweet spirits of niter, and a few shreds of saffron added to the 

 drinking water are beneficial. It is well to add egg food or mois- 

 tened bread to the ordinary fare once or twice each week during 

 molt. For ailing birds a very slight quantity of sulphur ma}' be 

 added to the egg food, or a weak saffron tea given instead of pure 

 drinking water. A few linseeds in the seed suppl}^ give a gloss and 

 sheen to the new feathers not otherwise obtainable. 



COLOR FEEDING. 



That the color of canaries may be deepened or intensified hj cer- 

 tain color foods given during the molt is well known and has at- 

 tracted much interest. Turmeric, marigold flowers, saffron, cochi- 

 neal, annatto, port wine, mustard seed, and other agents rich in 

 natural color are often used for this purpose, but it is doubtful 

 whether they exert any real influence. So far as known all success- 



