56 



British Cage Birds. 



time. Much depends upon the season and surroundings. In 

 a cold room they may show no inclination to commence 

 operations before May. 



Incubation generally lasts fourteen or fifteen days. When 

 the young birds are twelve days old, a fresh nest and the 

 customary building materials must be furnished at the 

 opposite end of the cage or aviary ; sometimes the parent 

 birds decide to use the same nest over again, in which case 

 the young birds should be carefully removed, the nest-boxes 

 being transferred from one end of the cage or aviary to the 

 other. If the young birds are tolerably well fledged, much 

 caution and circumspection will be needed to prevent them 

 bounding from the nest ; the early morning, just as the day 

 is breaking, or when the shadows of night are surrounding 

 them, would be found the best time ; before the hen has 

 taken up her night watch and maternal cares through the 

 hours of darkness. 



When the young birds are able to cater for themselves, 

 which will happen when they are about a month old, they 

 must be removed to a cage by themselves, and placed for 

 some time within sight of their parents, which will cause the 

 latter to be contented and attentive to their second brood ; 

 otherwise they may become restless and fidgetty, and en- 

 danger the second nest of eggs. If the parent birds begin 

 to prepare for a second brood before the first are fledged, 

 or are of sufficient age to forage for themselves, put the 

 young birds in a separate cage, and secure it at the front or 

 end of the breeding cage or aviary, so that their parents may 

 be able to feed them through the wires. Should either or both 

 of the cages be so closely wired as not to allow the parents 

 to easily feed the young, some of the wires must be bent so 

 as to give the required space to admit of this being done. 



In outdoor aviaries a good deal of Virginian cork is often 

 used, as it gives an ornamental and artistic appearance to the 

 structures ; but, unfortunately, it is found to be a harbour 

 of refuge for parasites ; hence it is exceedingly objectionable 

 for the purpose, as it is almost impossible to dislodge 

 the vermin from it. Nevertheless, it gives a very finished 

 and tasteful appearance to an erection of this kind, and 

 where few birds are kept together, and expense is not an 

 object, it may be used if it can be frequently renewed. 



