Our  Canaries 
23 
reserved  for  the  cock  when  not  engaged  with  either  of  the  hens,  or  with  young 
broods  which  are  being  weaned  of  their  parents,  whilst  the  cock  can  readily  make 
the  acquaintance  of  both  hens  at  once  when  they  are  on  either  side  of  him.  But 
its  greater  convenience  is  to  the  breeder  of  mules,  who,  besides  sometimes  running 
two  hens  with  the  same  finch,  is  frequently  obliged  to  resort  to  a  variety  of  schemes 
to  prevent  him  inflicting  irremediable  damage  upon  the  eggs  with  his  inquisitive 
punishing  beak  before  the  owner  can  forestall  him  and  hinder  his  nefarious  designs. 
With  Master  Goldie  in  charge  it  not  infrequently  happens  that  the  salvation  of  the 
eggs  depends  largely  upon  which  gets  there  first — Goldie  or  his  Master.  To  avoid 
accidents  of  this  description  it  is  advisable  to  separate  the  finch  from  the  hen,  or 
hens,  each  evening  when  eggs  are  expected  to  appear,  and  not  allow  him  access  to 
the  compartment  next  morning  until  the  nest  has  been  examined,  and  the  eggs, 
providing  one's  anticipations  have  been  realised,  removed  to  a  place  of  safety. 
ITS  VALUE  AS  AN  ECONOMISER  OF  SPACE. 
It  is  here  that  a  three-compartment  breeding  cage  comes  in  most  conveniently 
when  two  hens  are  run  with  one  finch  and  may  really  economise  space.  It  affords 
all  the  advantages  of  devoting  a  double-compartment  cage  to  one  pair  of  birds  for 
the  equivalent  of  two  breeding  pairs.  Further,  in  order  to  avoid  any  unnecessary 
handling  or  scaring  of  the  birds,  which  is  most  undesirable  at  this  time,  in  the  daily 
removals  of  the  cock,  it  would  be  necessary  to  set  apart  a  double-breeder  for  each 
pair  of  birds.  With  the  extra  compartment  of  the  three-division  cage,  another  hen 
may  be  added  without  in  the  least  degree  reducing  the  advantage^  of  the  former 
method.  By  confining  the  cock  bird  in  the  central  space,  with  the  wire  slides 
between  him  and  a  hen  on  either  side,  it  is  only  necessary  to  withdraw  the  wire 
slide  on  one  side  in  the  morning  after  examining  the  nest  and  putting  the  egg,  if 
one  has  been  deposited  in  the  nest,  into  some  other  place  of  safety.  The  finch 
may  be  run  with  the  hen  until  midday,  when  he  is  again  shut  off  from  that  hen 
Earthenware  Wood  and  wire  cover  for  Zinc  bath  for  hanging 
Bath.  bathing  vessel.  on  cage  door. 
