34 



British Cage Birds. 



for their daily wants. The cage can be made of any kind 

 of wood to suit the taste and requirements of those who need 

 them ; but by all means use the bright tinned iron wire, which 

 is much more durable and sightly than the common iron wire, 

 which speedily rusts and decays. 



Fig. 8 is intended as a double breeding cage to be 

 used for obtaining hybrids between Finches and Canaries ; 

 the division in the centre of the cage is made to run in 

 grooves, top arid bottom, and can be removed at pleasure. 

 If used for one pair of birds only, the young fledglings and 

 the male parent can be shut off from the hen, when she has 

 commenced a second brood ; and this is the plan we prefer 

 to all others. When the box nests (Fig. 13) are used in 



Fig. 8. Double Breeding Cage for Finch and Canary Hvbrids. 



these cages it will be necessary to have part of the back or 

 ends of the cage to open on hinges, as a door, to admit them. 

 The small apertures (shown at the ends, in the drawing) are 

 for transferring birds to or from this cage to another ; by 

 placing two or three of them together, and lifting the slides 

 that cover the apertures, a roomy flight cage can be formed, 

 and the birds can then get an abundance of exercise ; this of 

 course is only done after the breeding season is over, and the 

 moulting process begun. In other respects the engraving is 

 sufficiently explanatory as to the construction and character 

 of the cage. 



The cage illustrated at Fig. 9 is specially adapted 



