FEEDING DURING BREEDING TIME. 



69 



single songster, and also for the female, except at the breed- 

 ing-time, should be regulated with care, so that the birds 

 grow neither too full and fat nor too weak and faint. As a 

 strengthening, supplementary food for emaciated birds, the 

 hard-boiled eggs of fowls, or egg-bread are given, also stale, 

 well-soaked, and then well-squeezed wheat-bread, wholemeal 

 bread or biscuit. In the latter case the bird should be 

 refreshed by green herbs, salad, water-cresses, etc., also with 

 sweet fruit, slices of apple and pear. A small piece of sugar 

 or a small piece of rock salt given now and then will be a 

 harmless dainty for the songster, but the indiscriminate 

 giving of dainties should be strictly avoided. It will be 

 advisable, however, to give the bird, from time to time, a 

 little poppy- seed and some huskless oats. The genuine 

 Hartz bird ought to get only prime, summer rape- seed, 

 and a small dose of biscuit or of egg-food described further 

 on ; this will be required in order to preserve the songster 

 in full vigour. 



If a fancier procures a young bird, egg-food as well as 

 rape-seed should be given fresh, tw r ice a day ; nor should it 

 in any case be withdrawn or even diminished before the 

 bird has attained its full strength and vigour. No Hartz- 

 bird should be given green herbs, least of all while the bird 

 is young, because it easily produces diarrhoea. 1 



Feeding during Breeding Time.— In respect to this 



matter the views of bird-breeders again widely differ, and 

 the reason for this is that the different breeds and the 

 particular requirements of each have, first of all, to be con- 

 sidered. The common German canary is also fed during 



1 Many connoisseurs and breeders do not consider green food in- 

 jurious to the Hartz canaries, on the contrary, they consider it as 

 beneficient. We would, however, advise to give only groundsel, 

 plantain, mignonette, tradescantia, and perhaps salad, but only 

 of best quality, and not in large quantities. 



