i8 
Our  Canaries 
where  space  is  at  a  premium  and  one  finds  it  necessary  to  make  the  most  of  all 
cage  accommodation  at  each  season  of  the  year. 
DIFFERENCES   OF  OPINION. 
Opinions  vary  a  good  deal  respecting  the  most  generally  useful  of  three  types 
of  cage  just  reviewed — the  single,  double,  or  treble  compartment.  Many  of  the 
best  breeders  favour  the  single  cage,  whilst  each  of  the  other  sizes  have  their  share 
of  adherents — but  when  everything  is  taken  into  consideration  it  will  be  found 
that  each  type  has  its  own  special  merits  as  well  as  certain  limitations. 
For  convenience  and  portability  the  single  compartment  cage  is  far  ahead 
of  the  others.  Its  chief  disadvantage  is,  that,  when  mating  the  birds,  it  affords 
no  real  convenience  for  allowing  them  to  become  sociable  by  contact  and  seeing 
each  other  at  close  quarters  prior  to  being  actually  put  together  in  the  same  cage. 
The  only  method  of  doing  this  is  to  place  the  cock  in  a  small  nursery  cage  for  a 
day  or  two,  and  hang  him  on  the  front  of  the  breeding  cage  which  is  already 
occupied  by  the  hen,  until  he  is  seen  to  feed  the  hen  through  the  wires. 
THE  USE  OF  NURSERY  CAGES. 
Similarly,  when  it  becomes  necessary  to  take  young  ones  away  from  the 
parents  before  they  are  quite  able  to  feed  themselves  entirely,  they  must  be  placed 
in  a  nursery  cage  and  suspended  in  the  same  manner  on  the  front  of  the  larger 
cage.  This  of  itself  is  an  eyesore  to  us,  and  seriously  interferes  with  the 
symmetry  and  neat  appearance  of  an  otherwise  trim  stock  of  cages.  True,  this 
may  be  nothing  more  than  an  individual  idiosyncracy  which  is  not  felt  by  many. 
Another  point  is  that  when  a  cock  has  to  be  taken  away  from  the  hen  whilst  she 
A  TRIO  OF  DRINKING    VESSELS  FOR  AVIARIES,  Etc. 
Glass,  with  lip  to  go  through 
the  wires    at   front   of  the 
cages,  &c. 
Glass,  known  as  "Jones' 
Hygienic  Fountain,"  with 
aperture   inside   the  trough. 
Improvised  out  of  jamjar  (in- 
verted,  and  with  hole  made 
at  edge)  and  a  saucer. 
