17 



transferred him, he may not be " sharp " enough to find either food 

 or water. Therefore, whenever you purchase a Continental bird, arrcr 

 this applies to other varieties than Canaries, either place the food 

 and water inside the cage, or watch till you see he has acquired the 

 knack of putting his head through the pot holes to reach the 

 provender placed outside in the trough or fountain usually affixed to 

 our English cages. Another important difference between German 

 and English cages is that the doors of the former are invariably 

 fitted with springs which make them self closing. 



A favourite way with the Germans of fitting breeding cages with 

 nesting places is to slide them into the front quite low down, i.e, just 

 above the sand drawer. Two slight wooden shelves, four inches wide, 

 extending right across the front, are hooked on inside below the 

 wired part ; one supports the nest baskets, the other protects the 

 sitting hen from droppings from above. A couple of flap doors give 

 access to the nest, the breeder's desire being to have ready command 

 over the eggs or brood. 



They are so convinced of the superior utility of nesting places 

 being kept low that even in flight rooms the boxes frequently hang 

 only one foot from the ground. 



It may seem unnatural to expect birds of the findi tribe to build 

 so low, but Canary hens accommodate themselves to circumstances, 

 and soon overcome their disinclinations. One hears often of young 

 birds having fallen or being thrown out of the nest and fatally 

 injured. When the fall can only be a few inches, the ejected bird, 

 even if ifc be not noticed for some considerable time after the accident, 

 can be warmed into life again and may be found to have sustained 

 no serious injury, whereas a greater fall would probably have killed 

 it outright, 



BREEDING IN FLIGHT-CAGES 



or aviaries is often resorted to for reasons of economy. Two, three, 

 or four hens, with only one cock between them, will often be quite 

 as productive as an equal number of pairs, while the polygamous 

 cock will not have occasion to expend part of his energy in challenging 

 or fighting rivals, and his song, therefore, will not be so liable to 

 degenerate as if strained to its utmost in contesting with other males. 

 There is, however, one serious drawback to aviary breeding. Not- 



