6 Farmers' Bulletin 1327. 



For one bird, the cage should not be less than 9£ inches long, 6£ 

 inches wide, and 9 inches high. A larger size is to be preferred. 

 The ordinary cages obtained from dealers in this country are made 

 of wire and are open on all sides. Each is fitted with receptacles for 

 food and water, usually at opposite ends. A fine-mesh wire screen 

 may be bought from the dealer and fastened around the lower half 

 of the cage to prevent the scattering of seeds and seed hulls. A com- 

 mon substitute for this is a simple muslin bag, held in place by a 

 drawstring fastening tightly about the middle of the cage. 



In a cage of ordinary size three perches are sufficient. One may be 

 placed at either end at a distance that will allow easy access to the 

 food and water receptacles, and the third elevated above the middle 

 of the cage at its center. Another convenient arrangement is to run 

 one perch lengthwise of the cage, in such way that the bird may 

 reach the feeding receptacles from it, and to place the two other 

 perches transversely above it near either end. A bird confined in 

 small quarters is dependent for exercise on hopping about from 

 perch to perch, and this arrangement will give the maximum freedom 

 of movement. In larger cages four perches may be advisable. These 

 should not be placed so that they interfere with the free movement 

 of the bird, and for reasons of cleanliness one perch should not be 

 directly above another. In small wire cages, if the swing perch 

 usually found suspended in the center is removed, the bird will have 

 more room, and in hopping back and forth will not be continually 

 striking head or wings. In larger cages this perch may remain. 

 Perches should be large enough for the toes of the bird to grasp 

 them readily and encircle them for three-fourths of their circum- 

 ference. If they are too small they cramp the foot, while if too 

 large they may cause malformed toes or claws, especially in young 

 birds. Perches should be elliptical in shape, about three-eighths of 

 an inch in the long diameter, which should be horizontal. If those 

 furnished with the cage do not meet these requirements, others may 

 be made from soft wood without much trouble. 



Cages in which canaries are to breed must be large and roomy in 

 comparison with those intended for single occupants. An English 

 authority gives the standard size for breeding cages as 22 inches 

 long, 12 inches wide, and 16 inches high. Several types of open 

 breeding cages made of wire may be obtained, or a box with a re- 

 movable wire front may be made. If it is planned to use wooden 

 cages for several seasons they should be enameled or whitewashed in- 

 side to permit thorough cleaning. Such cages should be smooth in- 

 side and any with cracked or warped boards should be avoided, as 

 crevices may harbor dirt or mites. Though cages may be made of 

 wire screen this is not advised, as cages so constructed become very 

 dirty, and there is danger that birds may catch their claws in the 

 wire and become injured. 



Where numbers of canaries are kept box cages with wire fronts are 

 convenient, as they may be placed in racks one above another or ar- 

 ranged on a series of shelves along the wall of the bird room. They 

 are provided with a sand tray three-fourths of an inch deep that 

 slides in and out from the front and facilitates cleaning. Perches 

 for these cages may be adjusted in the following manner : One end is 

 notched and the other has a brad driven in it filed to a sharp point. 

 The sharpened brad is pressed against the back of the cage and a 



