CAGE AND SINGII-^G BIRDS. 
0' 
very miicli the case with the larks and warblers ^ the 
bimting's, fincheS; and thrushes, have not this fault. Some 
birds tiirive best in a room fitted up for their especial use, 
having' yomig fir-trees placed about it, especially in the 
corners, or everg'eeen branches of some kind • they should be 
cut for this purpose not later than March, before the sap 
rises, otherwise they will cast their leaves. Generally 
spealdng', birds do not sing- so well at large in this way as in. 
small cag-es, where they have nothing to occupy their atten- 
tion but their song. More will be found about the bird- 
room imder the head of Canaries." 
Of Wooden Cages, those are decidedly the best which, 
are made of mahogany, as they are less likely to harbour 
insects than any other. If fir or any soft v/ood is the 
material, it should invariably have two or three coats of 
paint over it ; green is the best colour. The wires of a cage 
should never be painted, as, the metal being non-absorbent^ 
the colour will generally loosen and peel off after a time, and 
being swallowed by the bird, will cause its death. In the 
Zollverein department of the Great Exhibition there were 
some cages of a novel construction, being made of japanned 
zinc : these appeared to us in every respect very superior te 
wooden cages, being easily cleaned, and light and elegant in 
appearance. The projecting bottoms have a rim or ledge 
round them, which keeps the dirt and seeds thrown out by 
the bird from making* a litter ; they are simply fastened to 
the upper part by hooks, or catches, and so are easily re- 
moved for the purpose of being cleaned. There ar*e places 
in London where these cages can now be obtained, and we 
would recommend them to all who study the health and 
comfort of their feathered captives. They are, perhaps, a 
little more expensive than other kinds of cages, but their 
durability renders them economical in the end. We do not 
in general admire the gaily painted and gilded prisons in 
which birds are frequently kept, because it too often happens 
that the comfort of the inmate is sacrificed for the sake of 
show ; still we have seen some very pretty things of this 
kind, to which no objection could be made. 
Most commonly the sides of cages are too open. A bird, 
however tame and familiar, likes to have a snug corner or 
other sheltered place, to which it can occasionally retire, and 
