88 



CANARY BIRDS. 



Supervision of the Broods.— If, in the beginning, 



males and females hotly quarrel, if they chatter angrily and 

 bite each other, this does not much matter, for peace is 

 usually restored after a short time ; but if there be among 

 the number some individual disturber who will absolutely 

 not yield and will continually bite the others, or worse still, 

 destroy the nests, devour the eggs, and kill the fledglings, 

 such evil-doers should be caught and inexorably removed 

 altogether. Eight days after the " coupling " of the 

 brood birds, I generally have some eggs in the different 

 nests, the nesting-boxes having been previously numbered ; 

 a simple register is kept wherein the day on which the first 

 egg has been laid in each respective nest has been noted. 

 After the lapse of nine or ten days, I ascertain whether the 

 eggs are impregnated ; those which are not, I remove. I 

 also sometimes change two nests into one, but; in all other 

 respects, I endeavour to disturb the hatching-hens as little 

 as possible. After the fledging of the young, a rapid daily 

 inspection of the nests is indispensable, at least, during the 

 first few days. 



If it be found that some females do not feed their young 

 well, so that compared to others of their age they are 

 stunted in growth, such females should repeatedly be 

 driven out of their nest, for it frequently happens that 

 young hens are so fond of their warm nests that they are 

 loth to fly out, and thus neglect the feeding of their young. 

 Towards the end of nesting-time, it will sometimes occur 

 that older females pluck out the feathers, or bite the beaks 

 and feet of their own, or of strange young birds. Wagner 

 thinks that this evil may be simply prevented by keeping 

 the old birds abundantly supplied with other feathers, for 

 these they will then carry into their nests, and will peck 

 the quills. 



The supply of oats in their husks among the food for the 



