tually found them secreted in the food "hop- 

 pers." They have raised the lid, and art- 

 fully ensconced themselves behind the seed 

 until our back was turned ! We hardly 

 need tell our readers what was their fate when 

 so discovered. Suffice it say, they were 

 " tried and cast ;" and that we ourself per- 

 sonated the witnesses, judge, jury, and exe- 

 cutioner. What followed, was soon over ! 



Having discussed all essential points con- 

 nected with breeding canaries in a Moom, we 

 will now speak of the various ceremonies, 

 rules, regulations, and orders to be observed 

 whilst incubation is going forward in Cages. 

 CANAKIES BRED IN CAGES. 



The rearing of young canaries in cages, is 

 a study, not only " amusing," so to speak, 

 but very instructive — for young ladies who 

 are in their teens in particular. From birds 

 as from the " ant," we may learn many prac- 

 tical lessons of wisdom. Indeed the minutest 

 insect, as well as the smallest animal, affords 

 much cause for admiration, and teaches us, if 

 we be apt scholars, very much worth the know- 

 ing. Full many a time and oft, has an atten- 

 tive consideration of the domestic economy 

 of animals forced us to " think :" and the 

 thoughts induced have never failed to prove 

 profitable. 



In a pair of canaries, well matched, you 

 will find much to admire, from the very day 

 of their nuptials. There will be between 

 them only one heart, one mind, one voice. 

 No pulling two ways, no dissensions, no 

 quarrels. At all events there will be no 

 sulkiness, or bearing of malice. The sun 

 never goes down upon their wrath. A dark 

 cloud one moment, is followed by a streak of 

 cerulean blue the next ; and so on, till the 

 advent of their infant progeny. And let us 

 here remark, to the honor of the " papa 

 apparent," that he will, for the most part, be 

 found fairly and affectionately to have shared 

 with his cara sposa all the onerous duties in- 

 separable from incubation. 



Then again must we carefully remark the 

 tenderness and anxiety of the parents, and 

 the obedience of their children. Not one note 

 is uttered by the former without having 

 some meaning in it ; and this meaning is 

 instinctively recognised by the nestlings, who 

 never once venture to quit their cradles until 

 called forth to see the world. Then are they 

 carefully fed, protected, and warned until 

 they " come of age." Here Nature halts. It 

 is now time that they should set about get- 

 ting their own livelihood. Another loud knock 

 at some of our doors ! H-e-m ! 



In choosing your birds an appropriate 

 dwelling, study their happiness in every pos- 

 sible respect ; and be sure their cages are 

 manufactured of mahogany. These not only 

 last longer than any others, bat they let 



their inmates live in comfort and cleanliness. 

 Vermin are, comparatively speaking, seldom 

 found in mahogany cages. 



The proper dimensions for a breeding- cage 

 are as follows : — Length, 2 feet 4 inches ; 

 depth, 12 inches; height, 20 inches. The 

 top and sides should be of wood, the front of 

 strong tin wire. Three or four perches 

 should run across the cage, and a little 

 chamber, or rather one large chamber divided 

 into two, should be made immediately under 

 the top of the cage, to hold the nest boxes. 

 In the front of these compartments should 

 be circular holes, sufficiently large to give 

 the birds ingress and egress to their nests. 

 In these divisions they will build, and also 

 rear their young. 



To enable you, when occasion requires, 

 to get access to these nest boxes, have 

 square doors made in the side of the cage, 

 opening outward. You can then quietly 

 make your observations, and avoid disturb- 

 ing your birds. In the front of the cage, 

 there should be two large tin pans inserted, 

 one on either side, to hold the seed ; also a 

 circular hole in the centre, to admit the birds' 

 heads while drinking. A receptacle of tin 

 should be provided to hold the water, sus- 

 pended by bent wires. To enable your birds 

 to get at their food the more readily, a long, 

 narrow perch should run immediately behind 

 these tins, from one end of the cage to the 

 other. Let the inside be painted thrice in 

 oil, white. 



Some people assist their birds in the con- 

 struction of their nests ; and we see no ob- 

 jection to it. Let the two nest boxes be half 

 filled with the building material ; their labors 

 will then be considerably lightened. The hen 

 will soon model a nest to her mind. The nest- 

 bags must be well scalded previous to use, as 

 we have before remarked, in order to kill the 

 indwelling vermin. Hang them in front of 

 the cage, outside ; and carefully collect any 

 building material that may be found dropped 

 inside the cage. Extreme cleanliness must be 

 observed, and in the tray there must be kept 

 an abundant supply of small, red gravel, 

 mixed with a little powdered chalk. 



Before turning your birds into a breeding- 

 cage, see that they be well " paired." When 

 you have selected such colors as you approve, 

 put the male into one cage, and the hen into 

 another. Hang them up dos-d-dos ; just so 

 as the eye of each can come into contact, 

 through the hole made to admit the nail. 

 This, while it effectually works out the in- 

 tended purpose, will keep you in a constant 

 state of merriment. The antics of the birds 

 whilst "pairing," and the vain schemes they 

 concoct to break out of prison, are exceed- 

 ingly diverting. You will often perceive 

 their heads, or one- half of their heads, pro- 

 truded through the hole; their one, unceasing 



