Canaries: Their Care and Management. 7 



wire on the front is 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 

 seed 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 susceptible to sudden changes in 

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

 borne in mind in choosing a place for the cage. Direct exposure to 

 a strong draft of cold air must always 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. Swinging brackets are inex- 

 pensive and are convenient for use when it is impracticable to fasten 

 hooks in the ceiling. When one or two canaries are kept as pets, it 

 is usual to suspend their cages before a window, where the birds may 

 enjoy light and sunshine, a good practice where the window is kept 

 closed during cool or stormy weather and the joints are tight. It 

 may be necessary to line the edges of the window frame and the junc- 

 tion of the upper and lower halves of the window with weather strip- 

 ping to prevent drafts, and it is best to suspend the cage so that it 

 will hang opposite or below the junction of the two halves of the 

 window frame. The room must remain at a fairly even temperature 

 day and night, and in cold weather it is well to cover the cage with 

 a towel or other light cloth at night. A cage should never be sus- 

 pended directly above a radiator, and 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 

 may prove fatal, another reason for avoiding the steam-laden air of 

 small kitchens. 



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

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

 supply of water should be renewed daily, and the seed cup replen- 

 ished at least every other day. The receptacles for these necessities 

 should be cleaned and washed carefully at short intervals. Cages 

 that have removable bases should have the tray in. the bottom cov- 

 ered with several thicknesses of paper, or the heavy coarse-grained 

 sandpaper, known as gravel paper, that may be secured from dealers 

 in cage-bird supplies, may be used. This should be renewed when- 

 ever 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 re- 

 moved 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 be- 

 tween 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 may be easily pulled out, cleaned, and refilled with fresh 

 sand. 



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